The ShopRite LPGA Classic and the Bay Course lived up to the reputation where most of the time, it takes a big name to conquer the ‘Shore Tradition.’ That big name this year was Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, who shot a three-under 68 Sunday to win and earn her 39th career victory.
Webb, at 38-years-old, is one of the most solid ball strikers on the LPGA and she showed that on Sunday. She made good use of all that experience to maintain a steady game playing in winds gusting from 25 to 35 mph.
She rallied from five shots back at the beginning of the final round and prevailed in a showdown battle with third round leader Shanshang Feng. It was the first LPGA Tour title in two years for the Australian Hall of Famer.
Webb got off to a strong start making birdie on the par-4 second hole and followed that up with an eagle on the par-5 third to move to four-under for the tournament.
She got within two shots of Feng, the third-round leader, who was at the moment at six-under. But Feng would make double-bogey on the par-4 second and drop into a tie for the lead with Webb.
Feng would get the lead back to one shot after bouncing back nicely and making birdie on the par-5 third and moving to five-under. Webb would fall two shots back to three-under when she missed her par-putt on the par-4 sixth.
Shortly after, Feng would unravel on the par-4 fifth where she would make double-bogey and fall into a tie with Webb for first place. But Feng would battle back and make birdie on the par-4 eight to regain the lead.
Feng’s struggles with the wind would continue and she would relinquish the lead to Webb after making bogeys on the 11th and 13th holes. She fell one shot behind Webb at two-under, who maintained her game under control, turning into a par-making machine to stay at three-under.
Feng would tie Webb at three-under when she made birdie on the par-4 16th and the tournament looked at the moment like we could get another extra holes finish on the LPGA.
But Webb, playing two groups ahead of Feng, made sure to put all the pressure the Chinese young star. Webb closed her tournament with a birdie on the 18th hole and entered the clubhouse leading by one at four-under.
Feng apparently did feel the pressure. Her errant tee shot on the par-3 17th, found the bunker and led to a bogey on the hole. That dropped her two shots back of Webb, which meant she would have to make eagle on the par-5 18th to force extra holes.
Feng did not even try to reach the green in two. She would miss sinking her approach third shot in the hole giving Webb her first win since March 20, 2011 at the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup in Phoenix.
The wind gusts whipped across the bay holes and made the course play tough again. Only 10 players broke par on Sunday.
South Korea’s Hee Young Park finished solo third at 1 under after a 71 and fellow compatriot, Jenny Shin shot 70 to finish at even-par. Webb, Feng, Young Park and Shin were the only players to be at even-par or better for the tournament.
One shot back at one-over and T-5th were American Gerina Piller (69), who started the round T-26th and South Koreans Jeong Jang and I.K. Kim. Rounding up the Top 10, a four-way T-9th group at two-over were Caroline Headwall (70), Ayako Uehara (71), Julieta Granada (71) and Michelle Wie (74).
World’s No. 1 Inbee Park finished T-38th at six-over, while world,’s No. 2 and defending champ Stacy Lewis finished T-58th at eight-over. Lewis had shot a nine-over 80 on Saturday, matching her worst round since the third round of U.S. Women's Open last year.
Finishes for the Top 10 players in the Rolex Rankings: Suzann Pettersen (MC, 10-over), Na Yeon Choi (T-18th, four-over), Yani Tseng (T69th, 10-over), So Yeon Ryu (T-38th, six-over), Jiyai Shin (T-18th, four-over), Ai Miyazato (T-18th, four-over), Cristie Kerr (T-13th, three-over) and Paula Creamer (T-13th, three-over).
The LPGA now moves to Pittsford, NY for the Wegmans LPGA Championship for the second major on the LPGA Tour schedule. Shanshan Feng is the defending champ and is going to New York off a big showing this week.