Seven-time major champion Karrie Webb of Australia captured her first LPGA title in two years on Sunday, firing a five-under par 67 final round to win the Phoenix LPGA International.

Webb finished 72 holes at the $1.5-million event on 14-under par 274 to defeat South Korean rookie star Shin Ji-Yai by two strokes for her 36th career crown to end the LPGA title drought.

"It's very important. It means a lot to me," Webb said. "I have won in Australia in those two years but winning on the LPGA against the best players in the world is obviously very important to me.

"You just sometimes wonder if you have got the ability to do it. You're just not putting the scores on the board that indicate that you can still do it. Even less than a month ago I was still questioning that."

There's no question Webb feels much better about her chances at the season's first major tournament next week in California.

"I'm just glad I won," Webb said. "I feel very comfortable on Mission Hills Golf Course and this has just given me a boost of confidence for next week."

The Aussie star birdied the third, gave back the stroke despite sinking a 20-foot bogey putt at the fourth but answered with a 12-foot birdie putt at the fifth and an eagle from 20 feet at the par-5 sixth.

Webb began the back nine with a pair of birdies, took a bogey at the 15th, and two-putted from 10 feet for a birdie at the 18th for the victory.

"It's probably the most calm I have been for four rounds on a golf course in my entire career," Webb said. "That's a big statement, but I never really got ahead of myself. I really was very good this week in staying in the present and worrying about the shot I had."

Shin, the 54-hole leader by a stroke, birdied the seventh from 30 feet and began the back nine with a birdie before taking her lone bogey at 15 after finding a bunker on her approach.

"I enjoyed this week. I still shot pretty well today but I pulled a couple of putts," Shin said. "I was waiting for my chance or Karrie's mistake but she played very well."

Shin hit a 10-foot birdie at the 18th to keep the pressure on Webb to the finish.

"I knew that Jiyai wouldn't give up until the end," Webb said. "I'm pretty lucky she didn't have her best putting day, because I have definitely seen her make a few more putts than she did today."

Korean Kim In-Kyung was third on 277. Taiwan's Yani Tseng and Norway's Suzann Pettersen shared fourth on 278 with Korean Kim Song-Hee another stroke back.

AFP

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