Karrie keeps cool under pressure

Karrie Webb has credited her composure under pressure for enabling her to overcome a two-shot deficit in the closing stages before winning the 2008 MFS Australian Open in a tension-filled playoff against South Korean teenager Ji-Yai Shin. The Australian world No.3 looked out of contention when she fell two strokes behind Shin after the 19-year-old birdied the 15th hole. Playing in the group behind Shin, Webb crucially saved par on 14 and 15 – after twice finding the bunker – before somehow finding an extra gear with birdies on two of the final three holes to force a playoff. “Yesterday, after I made that triple on four it shook me up a little bit for a couple of holes but I really settled in after that and played some really good golf,” Webb said. “I got off to a good start today birdying the first and just played really solidly and then when I got myself in a bit of trouble I didn&apost panic too much.” “Obviously (I) made a great par at 14 which, at the time, not knowing that would have put me three shots behind – that would have almost been it. That was probably the key to finishing the way I did.” The 33-year-old then closed out her fourth Australian Open – after wins in 2000, 2002 and 2007 – with a birdie on the second extra hole as Shin could only manage a par. “This obviously gives me a lot of confidence. It proves that a bit of a layoff isn&apost going to hurt me every now and then. I came back fresh,” Webb said. “That&aposs no guarantee that it will turn into a great year in the States but it&aposs definitely getting me off to a great start and given me a lot of confidence that I probably needed right from the word go.”