(Mobile, Alabama)
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America&aposs Angela Stanford has collected her second LPGA title at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in Mobile, Alabama, with China&aposs Shanshan Feng in second place. Stanford&aposs 11-under par total 277 was good enough for a one-shot victory with another American Kim Hall a further two shots back in third. Australia&aposs Katherine Hull, second after 3 rounds, secured her third Top-5 in as many starts, finishing in a tie for 4th at 7-under par total 281.
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Stanford, ranked No.31 on the Rolex Rankings before the week started, took a commanding four shot lead over Hull into the final round after opening with rounds of 70, 67, and 67 to sit at 12-under par. Hull could easily have been closer, however a double bogey on the last hole of her third round left her four back. With memories of her CN Canadian Women’s Open win last month, where she started six back with one round to go, Hull made a good start with a birdie at the first and a challenge looked likely. However, with bogeys at 3,5 and 7 coupled with birdies at 4 and 6, inconsistency put paid to her chances. She made only one further birdie at 16 and never made a serious challenge for the title.
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The real challenge to Stanford came from Feng, the only Chinese player exempt on the LPGA Tour. After starting the final round at 6-under par, she moved to 10-under after 8 holes and within one shot of the lead after Stanford made bogeys at 7 and 8. Bogeys at the 9th and 11th by Feng gave Stanford a little breathing space but another bogey on the 12th left her with just a two shot buffer. Both players made birdie at the 16th but even another birdie by Feng on the last couldn’t wrestle the lead from the American, who buried her winning par putt on the 18th from 4-feet. Afterwards, she said, “I’m more relieved than excited, I’m sure I’ll be excited later.” Those comments probably reflect the fact that she left herself with testing par saving putts on both the 71st and 72nd holes to negate the need for a playoff.
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Apart from Hull, this was an extremely good tournament for the ALPG players, Sarah-Jane Kenyon recording her best LPGA finish with a tie for 16th at 3-under par 285. Her US$17,500 cheque is ‘a little cream’ after just last week securing her LPGA card for 2009. Michelle Ellis continued some good recent form finishing in a tie for 25th at 1-under par 287, while Wendy Doolan (T40), Lindsey Wright (T43), Sarah Kemp (T62) and Rachel Hetherington (67th) all completed solid tournaments.
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The LPGA takes another week off before resuming on 25th of September with the US$1.4million Navistar LPGA Classic in Prattville, Alabama.
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(Mobile, Alabama)