Australian Rachel Hetherington birdied the first play-off hole on Sunday to defeat two-times defending champion Annika Sorenstam of Sweden and earn her first career title at the LPGA Betsy King Classic in Pennsylvania.
Hetherington had at least a share of the lead throughout the day until Sorenstam, this year's leading money winner, recorded her fourth straight birdie with a four-foot putt at the par-five, 475-yard 18th hole.
That putt moved Sorenstam to 14-under-par 274, with Hetherington one group behind and one shot back. The 26-year-old from Queensland landed her second shot 20 feet left of the pin, leaving her eagle putt on the edge before tapping in to force the playoff.
Hetherington ripped her drive down the middle and nailed her approach in virtually the same spot as before - 18 feet left of the pin. Sorenstam drove into the left rough and found the rough again with her second shot, leaving herself a 30-foot downhill chip.
Sorenstam left herself a tough five-footer for birdie. Hetherington pushed her eagle try a foot past the right edge, leaving herself an easy birdie. Sorenstam, whose four victories this year are matched only by Korean Se Ri Pak, never had a chance on her birdie putt, pushing it well past the cup on the right side. Hetherington duly tapped in for birdie.
