ASSOCIATED PRESS
GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Michelle Wie won her first LPGA Tour title, fulfilling the promise of a decade with a 3-under 69 Sunday for a two-stroke victory over Paula Creamer in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational.
Wie finished off the victory in style, hitting a greenside bunker shot to 6 inches on the 18th hole and then tapping in for a birdie.
“It’s definitely off by my back,” she said. “I think that hopefully life will be a lot better, but I still have a lot of work to do.”
The 20-year-old Wie raised both arms in the air — her putter in her right hand — and then put her hand over her mouth. After pulling the ball out of the hole, she turned to the gallery, looked to the sky and let out a big sigh of relief.
Wie hopped several times and kept pumping her right fist over and over. After all the expectations, her long wait was over.
“Wowww-w-w ...... never thought this would feel THIS great!!!!” she posted on her Twitter account.
Solheim Cup teammates Morgan Pressel and Creamer showered Wie on the 18th green after the winning put.
“Just seeing them come out and pour beer all over me, it was a great feeling,” Wie said. “I’ve always seen it on TV and I’ve always wanted people to pour beer on me. It was as great as I thought it was.”
Her parents, dad B.J. and mom Bo, were there, too, for an embrace.
“I think it’s just so awesome, seeing them on the 18th green and hugging them,” Wie said. “You know, we have been through a lot as a family, and it’s just so great that they are here to share my highs and to keep me up from the lows, as well.”
Pressel (67), Jiyai Shin (71) and Cristie Kerr (72) were three back. Wie finished at 13-under 275 after starting the day at the Guadalajara Country Club tied for the lead with Kerr at 10 under.
Wie first qualified for a USGA event at age 10 and played an LPGA event when she was 12. She joined the LPGA this season and has begun to show the sizzling game that has made her arguably the biggest attraction in women’s golf.
“Right now it feels fantastic,” Wie said. “It’s great year. I went through some ups and downs ... And obviously this tournament is the icing on the cake.”
Woods wins Australian Masters
MELBOURNE, Australia — Tiger Woods gave record crowds at Kingston Heath what they wanted to see — exquisite shots and a closing round of 4-under 68 to win the Australian Masters on Sunday for his seventh victory of the year.
In his first trip Down Under in 11 years, Woods put on quite a shot for his $3 million appearance fee.
Woods pulled away from a three-way tie for the lead with three birdies on his opening six holes, then seized control with a tee shot to a back pin on the par-3 15th that covered the flag and stopped 6 feet away for his final victory.
He wound up with a two-shot victory over Greg Chalmers, who simply couldn’t keep up along the back nine.
Woods has won 82 times around the world and in 13 countries at official tournaments. It was his first victory in Australia, where the government estimates its return on paying half of the appearance fee was some $20 million.
The crowd approached 25,000 all four days, giving Kingston Heath the look and the energy of a major championship. Woods slipped on a jacket for winning this Masters — gold, not green — and wrapped up his two-week international swing with a familiar outcome.
Asked what his legacy would be in Australia, Woods smiled and said, “I got a W.”
“That was the goal this week,” said Woods, who finished at 14-under 274. “I’m very thankful to have a chance to play in front of great people and put together some good rounds.”
Ames wins Disney playoff
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Stephen Ames won his second title in three years at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic, edging George McNeill and Justin Leonard in a playoff.
Ames was calm and cool on greens that were too slick for most of the field on a sun-baked day at Disney World. He finished with an 8-under 64 for the clubhouse lead, watching as McNeill (67) and Leonard (67) failed to pass him.
Sunday was the last day for players to secure a tour card for next year. Only those who finished the year in the top 125 on the money list are guaranteed full status. The next 25 will at least get conditional status and be able to enter more than a dozen tournaments.
For as much back and forth as there was throughout the week, in the end, there wasn’t a lot of movement.
Former world No. 1 David Duval already had lost his full status by missing the cut. Robert Garrigus also missed the cut and was knocked out of full status for next year.
Jimmy Walker and Nicholas Thompson were the only two players to move inside the top 125 after beginning the week outside. Walker finished at No. 125.
There were plenty others who cut it close.
Rich Beem shot a 68 to finish at 10 under for the tournament. The 2002 PGA Championship winner finished at No. 122.
