RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. - Morgan Pressel became the youngest major champion in LPGA Tour history Sunday with a game well beyond her 18 years, closing with a 3-under 69 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship as everyone around her self-destructed.
Pressel played her final 24 holes over Mission Hills without a bogey, finishing the round with a 10-foot birdie putt that looked as though it would be only good enough for second place. Then came a shocking collapse from Suzann Pettersen, the latest and most significant on a sun-baked afternoon in the desert.
Pettersen, a fiery 25-year-old from Norway, had a four-shot lead with four holes to play when she started hitting tee shots into the ankle deep rough and missing putts. She went bogey-double bogey-bogey to fall one shot behind, and needing a birdie on the par-5 18th, she hit wedge some 25 feet beyond the hole and missed the putt.
Pressel, who finished at 3-under 285, was on the practice range when she entered the history books at 18 years, 10 months, 9 days. Previously, the youngest major winner was Sandra Post, who was 20 years, 19 days when she won the 1968 LPGA Championship. On the men's tour, Young Tom Morris was 17 when he won the 1868 British Open.
Houston Open
HUMBLE, Texas - Adam Scott held off defending champion Stuart Appleby in an all-Australian duel in the Houston Open, saving par with a 50-foot putt on the 72nd hole after hitting his tee shot into the water.
Scott shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 17 under, three strokes ahead of Appleby and third-round leader Bubba Watson.
Playing together, Scott led Appleby by one stroke as they stood on the 18th tee, but Scott pulled his tee shot into the pond that lines the left side of the 488-yard hole, the course's most difficult.
Appleby drove into the fairway bunker, then immediately gave Scott a reprieve by hitting his approach into the water near the green.
Scott took his drop, hit his approach safely away from the water, then holed the par-saving putt. Appleby had a double bogey to finish with a 69. Watson birdied the last hole for a 72.
Pettersen, a fiery 25-year-old from Norway, had a four-shot lead with four holes to play when she started hitting tee shots into the ankle deep rough and missing putts. She went bogey-double bogey-bogey to fall one shot behind, and needing a birdie on the par-5 18th, she hit wedge some 25 feet beyond the hole and missed the putt.
Pressel, who finished at 3-under 285, was on the practice range when she entered the history books at 18 years, 10 months, 9 days. Previously, the youngest major winner was Sandra Post, who was 20 years, 19 days when she won the 1968 LPGA Championship. On the men's tour, Young Tom Morris was 17 when he won the 1868 British Open.
Houston Open
HUMBLE, Texas - Adam Scott held off defending champion Stuart Appleby in an all-Australian duel in the Houston Open, saving par with a 50-foot putt on the 72nd hole after hitting his tee shot into the water.
Scott shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 17 under, three strokes ahead of Appleby and third-round leader Bubba Watson.
Playing together, Scott led Appleby by one stroke as they stood on the 18th tee, but Scott pulled his tee shot into the pond that lines the left side of the 488-yard hole, the course's most difficult.
Appleby drove into the fairway bunker, then immediately gave Scott a reprieve by hitting his approach into the water near the green.
Scott took his drop, hit his approach safely away from the water, then holed the par-saving putt. Appleby had a double bogey to finish with a 69. Watson birdied the last hole for a 72.
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