Webb wins in style

Australia's Karrie Webb won the US Women's Open by five strokes in Libertyville, Illinois yesterday, capturing the richest prize in women's golf history and her third major title, all in the past four events.

Webb finished with a birdie to fire a final round one-over par 73 and finish at six-under par 282, winning $500,000 and her first US Women's Open crown at the $2 million event.

"I was extremely nervous through the whole day," Webb said. "My heart was in my mouth most of the day."Webb won her first major title last year at the DuMaurier in Canada and took the Dinah Shore event earlier this year. All that prevents her from a career women's Grand Slam is the LPGA Championship, won last month by Juli Inkster.

It was Webb's 21st career US LPGA victory and fifth of the year, matching for the tour lead with Sweden's Annika Sorenstam, whom Webb replaced as the top money winner. In addition, Webb clinched a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame, even though she will not become eligible for the honour until 2005 because induction rules require a player to log at least 10 LPGA seasons.

"This is the greatest title in women's golf and also to qualify for the Hall of Fame is something I could never even have dreamt about when I was growing up," she said. Americans Christie Kerr and Meg Mallon shared second at one-under 287. Mallon took herself out of contention with four back-nine bogeys, settling for a final-round 74.

South Korea's Mi Hyun Kim made a run at Webb, trailing by only two strokes with three holes remaining. But last year's LPGA Rookie of the Year sent her tee shot into the water at the 16th and took a double bogey, then finished with a bogey to end the event at level par 288, tied for fourth with Rosie Jones.

Webb struggled at the start, but made clutch pars at the ninth and 14th holes and kept her game together with routine pars down the stretch when rivals faded.

"I got off to a pretty rough start but I managed to keep myself together and make a lot of pars and just hang in there," she said. "I just played (nine and fourteen) great and got out of there with two pars, which I was very happy with."

Laura Davies finished as the leading British player in joint ninth place. Joint third overnight, she had to settle for a share of ninth place on three over par 291 after a 75. Scots Kathryn Marshall and Janice Moodie, who had a best-of-day 69, were the other Britons in the top 20. They both finished on six-over 294.