GLADSTONE, N.J. – Annika Sorenstam tumbled out of the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship on Saturday, blowing a two-hole lead with four to play in her quarterfinal match against 23-year-old Candie Kung.
After conceding a 2-foot par putt to Kung on the par-4 18th, Sorenstam slid her 8-foot par try well right of the hole to end the match.
“Of course I’m disappointed,” Sorenstam said. “I had a great chance – 2-up with four to go. … Candie played very well. To finish with a bogey doesn’t make you very happy.”
Both players missed the green with their approach shots, with Kung’s ball finishing hole-high to the left and Sorenstam ending up above the green on the right. The eighth-seeded Kung will face 60th-seeded Marisa Baena in the semifinals this morning. Baena beat six-time major champion Karrie Webb 2 and 1.
In the other semifinal, 14th-seeded Wendy Ward will play No. 47 Meena Lee. Ward beat 59th-seeded Sophie Gustafson 2 and 1, and Lee held off No. 39 Pat Hurst 1-up.
Curtis, Furyk share lead
LEMONT, Ill. – Ben Curtis sported another Chicago Bears golf shirt and visor at the Western Open, then rolled in a 3-footer on 18 for a birdie and a share of the lead with Jim Furyk. Curtis (66) and Furyk (67) are at 12-under 201 after 54 holes.
Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh may have gotten off to rough starts, but they’re making up for it. Woods shot a 4-under 67 and is tied for fourth with Shaun Micheel at 206, five strokes back. Singh flirted with the course record of 63 before settling for a 6-under 65 that leaves him six strokes off the lead.
Tim Herron (70) is alone in second at three strokes back. Second-round leader Chris Couch struggled to a 3-over 74, and is at 6-under 207.
Streck tops Champions
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. – Ron Streck, looking for his first Champions Tour title, followed his first-round 62 with a 3-under 68, staying two strokes in front with a 12-under 130 total after 36 holes. Tom Jenkins had a second-round 63 on the 6,989-yard Red Course at Eisenhower Park and was tied for second with Dave Eichelberger (67) and Craig Stadler (68). Five players were another stroke back, setting up what could be the tour’s fifth straight playoff to decide a winner.
This is the first time in his 28-plus years on the PGA and Champions tours that Streck has entered the final round with a lead.
European PGA
STRAFFAN, Ireland (AP) – Thomas Bjorn shot a 3-under 69 to open a four-stroke lead after three rounds of the European Open.
Bjorn is at 8 under for the tournament, ahead of France’s Raphael Jacquelin and England’s Jonathan Lomas. Jacquelin birdied the 16th and 17th and eagled the last hole for a 70, while Lomas recorded a 72 to share second.
U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell recorded a 1-under 71 and is nine strokes back. U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman shot a 79 after starting out with a two-stroke penalty for arriving late on the first tee.
Defending champion Retief Goosen shot a 77 to drop to a tie for 23rd.
END
AP-ES-07-02-05 1855EDT
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