Eagle Putt Secures Win for Sorenstam

Annika Sorenstam had a two-stroke lead, and her victory Sunday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Galloway Township, N.J., looked like a sure thing. All she had to do was stay out of trouble on No. 18.

Then Sorenstam hit the kind of shot that has made her a star.

After hitting her approach short of the green, Sorenstam hit a 38-foot putt that rolled up and down and into the cup, giving her a dramatic eagle on the par-five closing hole for a four-shot victory over Juli Inkster.

“Sometimes, I wonder why all these good things are happening to me, but I’ll take it,” Sorenstam said. “ I’m not going to question it too much. Obviously, I’m thankful for everything I’ve got.”

The world’s best female golfer added another title to her resume, shooting a seven-under-par 64 to win the $1.4-million ShopRite tournament.

And she did it with a flourish, draining the lengthy putt on the last hole for a 17-under 196 total.

Fending off game challenges by Inkster and Laura Davies, Sorenstam won her fifth tournament in seven outings.

It was Sorenstam’s 61st LPGA victory and fifth in seven events this season. She won the Classic for the third time and claimed the $210,000 winner’s share.

Inkster closed with a 68 and was 13 under. Catriona Matthew (64) and Davies (68) were five strokes back at 12 under.

Sorenstam trailed Inkster after one round, and the two shared the lead after 36 holes. The Swede overtook Inkster when it counted, rallying from an unremarkable start with near-flawless iron play and precise putting.

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Tom Jenkins rolled in a five-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat D.A. Weibring and win the Allianz Championship at Polk City, Iowa.

Jenkins and Weibring, the defending champion, finished 54 holes on the wind-swept Tournament Club of Iowa at nine-under 204, Jenkins closing with a 67 and Weibring a 66.

Both parred the first playoff hole, No. 18. Then they went to the par-five 17th, and Jenkins set himself up with a clutch wedge from the fairway. The ball bounced in front of the hole, then curved around behind and stopped five feet away. After Weibring’s 10-foot birdie putt rolled just past the left rim, Jenkins knocked in the winner.

Jenkins was three strokes down after No. 10, then birdied four of his next six holes to move into the lead.

Mike Reid closed with a 71 to finish seven under. Mike McCullough (69), fast-closing Dave Barr (66), Dana Quigley (69) and Bob Gilder (70) all finished at six under.