New Putter Seldom Misses Sorenstam Unleashes Three Straight Birdies To Wrap Up Lpga Tournament Of Champions Orlando Sentinel

Annika Sorenstam’s putter arrived at the LPGA’s Chrysler-Plymouth Tournament of Champions a day late and mangled by airport handlers, its face twisted.

Sorenstam professes to not being emotionally attached to her equipment, unlike most players. But she might rethink that position, considering how hot she was all week with a new putter.

Playing alongside Karrie Webb in what may prove to be a pairing of the ages for the LPGA, Sorenstam rolled her way to victory on Sunday at Weston Hills, pulling away to a four-shot triumph by sinking practically every putt en route to shooting 6-under-par 66.

Sorenstam, 26, finished at 16-under 272 and won $115,000, which will come in handy for the honeymoon she will begin today.

Webb, 22, last year’s leading money winner on the LPGA, closed with her fourth sub-par round, shooting 70, but it simply wasn’t enough to stay close to Sorenstam. Webb was left to play for what she termed a “mini-victory” at the par-5 18th, where an 8-footer for birdie allowed her to claim second place by herself.

Sorenstam could have closed with 64 had the ball not cruelly dangled on the lip of the cup on 15-foot putts at the fifth and seventh holes. She finished with a flurry, making putts of 15, 30 and 5 feet, respectively, on holes 15-17 as she transformed a two-shot lead into a rout.