Bogeys on 14 and 17 slowed the Aussie Express, but her 1-under-par 69 was good enough for a 204 total and a five-shot lead over 1998 champion Se Ri Pak of South Korea. Catriona Matthew was even at 210, while Wendy Doolan, Juli Inkster and Yuri Fudoh were at 211.
“I didn’t expect to go out and shoot another five under,” Webb said. “I think only having to play 18 holes was a big advantage. I’m drained now after just playing 18.”
With a $520,000 first-place check at stake in the $2.9 million event, Webb seemed intent on regaining her status as the No. 1 player in the world rankings. But it took a die-hard golf enthusiast with an itchy remote trigger finger to keep watching it until its 8:11 p.m. conclusion. The telecast began on NBC at 3 p.m., switched to ESPN at 6 and then to ESPN from 7:30 to the end.
Maintains Momentum
Long before the dawn-to-dusk third day was finished, the Australian Webb had polished off most of the field. Annika Sorenstam, the Swedish superstar who was the pre-championship favorite, was never able to make the much anticipated duel with Webb materialize. Forced to play 36 holes on Saturday after rain had kept her from even starting on Friday, Sorenstam was reduced to mediocrity, shooting 72-73.
“I don’t know what was wrong,” a disillusioned Sorenstam said. “I just missed some shots everywhere — right, left, short and long.”
Meanwhile, Webb, who had played early on Friday and put a sizzling course record 65 on the board, was able to rest Saturday morning and then take off like a rocket when she finally teed off at 3:15 that afternoon.
Still displaying the laserlike accuracy that gave her the lead, she missed birdie putts on the first three holes, then drained one on No. 4 to move to six under. She birdied No. 8 to go to minus-7, then had a two-putt birdie on the par-5 10th to move to eight under. That was her only birdie on a par-5 this week.
By that time, first-round co-leader A.J. Eathorne had disappeared from the leaderboard with a 39 on the front.
Inkster, the 1999 champion and one of only two Americans to win on the LPGA Tour this year, created a stir with back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11 to move to minus-2. But for the most part, there were few advances.
And even the imperturbable Inkster slipped with a bunker-to-bunker double bogey on the par-4 14th. By then, Webb’s lead was seven shots over Pak, Fudoh and Matthew.
Still, Webb never relaxed.
“You can never have too big a lead in an Open,” she said. “You can never be complacent because there are too many times when one shot can cost momentum.”
Pak played 34 holes Saturday, but appeared fresh at the finish.
“It wasn’t too bad,” she said, “but this course is mentally tiring. It’s a long time from 7 a.m. until … what time is it? I missed some putts, but I don’t know if that was because of misreads or mis-speed. If I had had a great putting day, I think I could have perhaps been tied for the lead.”
Matthew played 36 holes on Saturday but was pleased with her two-under-par showing for the day.
“I had quite a lot of chances,” she said. “Maybe I was a little tired, but I just tried to keep concentrating.”
‘It Could Get Interesting’
Christie Kerr, one of the few Americans still with an outside chance, shot 71 to stand at 213 and wasn’t quite ready to throw in the towel.
“Karrie’s playing well,” she said, “but she faltered a little on Sunday last year. There are some bogey holes out there and if someone has a hot round, it could get interesting.”
As Kerr was talking, Webb suffered her first error of the day, three-putting for bogey on No. 14. Appearing somewhat shaken, she was short with her approach on No. 15 and left a chip several feet left of the cup. She regained her composure, however, and holed it for par.
Another bogey from the bunker on 17 trimmed her lead to five.
“There’s still a long way to go,” Webb said. “I’ll just go out Sunday and try to keep hitting fairways and greens.”
In the previous 55 Women’s Opens, five players have come from five shots back to win. But Webb isn’t thinking of that.
“It’s not hard to play with a big lead if you don’t take it for granted,” she said.
Webb led by four shots going into the final round last year, but was caught by Meg Mallon before putting on a late charge to win.
“I think that having happened will help me on Sunday,” Webb said. “It was an experience that I learned from. I know as well as anyone how quickly things can turn.”
