NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Long after she earned her first trophy on the LPGA Tour, shook hands with countless tournament organizers and fielded questions from the media, rookie M.J. Hur returned to the 18th green at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
There, the winner of the Safeway Classic signed autographs for about 50 fans.
The South Korean made a 6-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Suzann Pettersen for her first tour victory.
Hur pumped her fist and broke into giggles after sinking the putt on the par-4 No. 17 hole. Then fellow tour player and best friend Haeji Kang chased the South Korean around the green, trying to douse her with champagne.
Hur's laughter continued unabated when she was finally caught. The tears of joy didn't come until she hugged her mother.
Hur shot a final-round 65, while Pettersen and veteran Michele Redman each shot a 67 to finish at 13-under 203 and set up the playoff.
Redman was knocked out when she missed a short putt for par on the first playoff hole, the par-4 No. 18.
Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) closed with a 68, while Stacy Prammanasudh (Conway) shot a 73. They finished tied at 4-under 212 and each earned $13,633.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Roberts edges O'Meara
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. - Second-round co-leader Loren Roberts birdied the final two holes for the Boeing Classic title Sunday and kept Mark O'Meara winless on the Champions Tour.
O'Meara led by a shot until an untimely bogey on the short, par-4 16th when his second shot found a bunker short of the green. O'Meara rebounded with a birdie on the 17th, but could only manage a par on the par-5 18th when his tee shot found a fairway bunker.
Roberts took advantage. He nearly matched O'Meara's tee shot at 17 and dribbled in a 5-foot birdie putt. Then he birdied the uphill final hole with a short pitch shot to 3 feet and dropped the putt for his third victory this season.
NATIONWIDE TOUR Christian wins long playoff
MOSCOW, Pa. - Gary Christian won the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic on Sunday on the ninth playoff hole, which tied a Nationwide Tour record.
The Englishman made a short birdie putt to beat Mathias Gronberg and earn his first Nationwide title.
Christian needed only to two-putt for par from 5 feet after Gronberg made bogey.
Christian and Gronberg each started the final round at 9 under and two shots behind 54-hole leader Guy Boros. Both players shot a 64.
The playoff began and ended on the 435-yard, uphill 18th hole. The two went to the tee at 4:52 p.m. and kept going back for more than two hours.
In the 1998 Lehigh Valley Open about 75 miles away, Eric Booker finally beat Notah Begay III in nine playoff holes.
Little Rock's Ron Whittaker shot a 67 to finish with a 10-under 270 and earned $16,045. Brenden Pappas (Arkansas Razorbacks) closed with a 72 for a 2-under 278 and earned $1,628.
PGA EUROPEAN Hedblom's 67 good for title
GLENEAGLES, Scotland - Peter Hedblom of Sweden shot a 5-under 67 Sunday to win the Johnnie Walker Championship title by one stroke over Martin Erlandsson.
Erlandsson had 10 birdies for a 62 and second place. Hedblom won his third European Tour title at 13-under 275.
Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie closed with a 69 to share third place with defending champion Gregory Havret (67), three strokes behind the leader.
Sports, Pages 17 on 08/31/2009