Parnevik’s Win Frustrates Others

Jesper Parnevik held on to win the Honda Classic, with a big assist from his pursuers at Coral Springs, Fla.

Parnevik shot an even-par 72 Sunday, closing at 18 under and beating Mark Calcavecchia (70), Geoff Ogilvy (69) and Craig Perks (66) by a stroke for his first victory this season on the PGA Tour.

The top four finishers bogeyed the par-four 18th hole. Calcavecchia missed a 15-foot putt that would have forced a playoff with Parnevik.

“I’m obviously pretty disappointed right now,” said Calcavecchia, who slammed his hat against a radio booth as he walked into the media room, broke the clasp on the back and then tossed it into the trash. “I goofed. I had my chances. I’m not going to say Jesper didn’t deserve to win, but I blew it.”

Ty Tryon, a high school sophomore and the second-youngest player to make the cut in a PGA Tour event, shot a 68 and wound up 10 under in his debut. He finished tied for 39th.

“I can’t believe it’s over, but at least I had a great round today,” said Tryon, who would have made $12,480 for his showing but collected nothing because of his amateur status.

Parnevik took a three-stroke lead into the final round at the TPC at Heron Bay, but it was gone at the turn. The 36-year-old Swede, who stands out with his colorful outfits and flipped-up hat bills, trailed Ogilvy by a shot as he approached the par-three 11th.

But Parnevik answered with a birdie on that hole and he held on from there--with some assistance.

Ogilvy gave strokes back on Nos. 15 and 18. He was equally as frustrated as Calcavecchia, kicking his bag over after he signed his scorecard.

Parnevik’s biggest shot might have come in Saturday’s third round. He chipped in from the fringe for a birdie on No. 18. What looked like a one- or two-shot lead turned into the three-shot advantage.

He needed it.

“I’ll take it any way I can get it,” Parnevik said. “It’s more a relief than happiness. You never want to win that way.”

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Annika Sorenstam knew she was close to a record. She was thinking locally, not tour-wide.

Sorenstam defended her Welch’s-Circle K Championship title by shooting a seven-under 65 at Tucson. She missed an eighth birdie when her putt rimmed the cup on the 18th green.

Sorenstam still won by six shots over four players with a tournament-record 23-under 265--the second-lowest score in LPGA Tour history.

Last year, Sorenstam and Pat Hurst tied at 19 under after 72 holes. Sorenstam prevailed on the second playoff hole, a win that qualified her for the LPGA Hall of Fame, although she has to wait until 2003 to meet the time-on-tour requirement.

“I knew it was 19 under here, and that’s what I was shooting for,” Sorenstam said. “This is as good as I’ve played in a long, long time.”

“I didn’t see she was at 22-under until No. 16,” said Laura Diaz, who shot 66 to join Michelle McGann, Dottie Pepper and Se Ri Pak at 271.

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Sophie Gustafson birdied the first three holes to open a seven-shot lead, then held off a persistent Karrie Webb for a one-stroke victory in the Australian Open at Melbourne. Gustafson finished with a 71 for a 12-under total of 276. Webb shot 68 Sunday and finished at 277. . . . Chris Couch, a former University of Florida standout, shot a seven-under 64 on his home course to win the season-opening Buy.com Florida Classic by one stroke over Chad Campbell at Gainesville, Fla. Couch needed a sponsor’s exemption to get into the tournament, but he won $76,500 and a full exemption for the next two years.

Up Next

Upcoming events for golf’s major tours:

PGA

Thursday-Sunday

* Bay Hill Invitational, Orlando, Fla.

SENIOR PGA

Friday-Sunday

* Siebel Classic, San Jose

LPGA

Thursday-Sunday

* Standard Register Ping, Phoenix