Sunday, February 15, 2009

Women's Australian Open Sunday: OMG, Laura Davies Takes the Lead!

Laura Davies is 2-up on Tania Elosegui with a few holes left to play in the Women's Australian Open. That's what going -12 over your last 33 holes--and going eagle-birdie in the last 2--will do for you. Stay tuned!

[Update 1 (12:29 am): How huge a story would it be if Davies were to win right after receiving an honorary life membership from the ALPG? Hope she isn't thinking about that already--she just bogeyed the 16th and her lead is down to 1. At 2 back with 1 to play, it looks like time has run out on Melissa Reid, but Hye Yong Choi, the KLPGA's #2 rookie last season, still has 5 holes to make up that 2-shot deficit. And Elosegui has 4 to play.]

[Update 2 (12:32 am): Speaking of comebacks, Katherine Hull bounced back from a 76-74 start with a pair of 70s on the weekend to guarantee herself yet another top 10 finish and give herself a chance for a top 5. And Nikki Campbell bounced back from an opening 79 to post a top 10.]

[Update 3 (12:38 am): Elosegui just birdied the par-5 15th to pull even with Davies at -7. Reid finished at -5 and Choi just dropped 3 back with a bogey on the par-5 14th. That's 3 in her last 7 holes....]

[Update 3 (12:48 am): Wow, Davies just birdied the 370-meter par 4 17th to regain the lead at -8. 2nd- and 3rd-round leader Chang-Hee Lee just birdied the 14th to stay within 3.]

[Update 4 (1:24 am): Wow! Elosegui birdied the 17th to take the lead at -8 after a Davies bogey on 18 dropped her to -7, but she doubled the 18th. Meanwhile, Choi failed to birdie the par-5 15th, but if she can birdie the 18th, it'll not only be her 3rd in a row, but will force a playoff with Davies!]

[Update 5 (1:45 am): It's Davies for the win! Too bad for Choi--a final-hole bogey dropped her into a tie for 3rd.

Here are the top 10 and notables:

1st/-7 Laura Davies (74-76-67-68)
2nd/-6 Tania Elosegui (69-72-75-70)
T3/-5 Melissa Reid (76-72-70-69), Hye Yong Choi (72-73-71-1), Chang-Hee Lee (69-70-75-73)
T6/-2 Katherine Hull (76-74-70-70), Karrie Webb (66-75-75-74)
T8/-1 Nikki Campbell (79-70-73-69), Lisa Hall (74-73-74-70), Hye Yoon Kim (70-73-75-73), Marianne Skarpnord (71-71-76-73), Clare Queen (70-75-72-74)

T13/E Georgina Simpson (73-68-77-74), Diana D'Alessio (72-76-69-75), Christel Boeljon (74-71-72-75)
T16/+1 Sarah Oh (74-75-73-71), Anne-Lise Caudal (74-75-69-75), Alison Walshe (77-69-69-78)
T19/+2 Becky Brewerton (75-73-76-70), Gwladys Nocera (79-73-71-71), Joanne Mills (74-69-76-75), Lynn Kenny (72-72-75-76), Nikki Garrett (73-75-71-75), Rebecca Hudson (72-74-71-77)
T26/+3 Aram Cho (75-77-72-71), Tamie Durdin (78-74-70-73), Beth Allen (73-69-73-80)
T30/+4 Trish Johnson (75-74-76-71)
T34/+5 Kristie Smith (80-74-73-70), Nina Reis (76-76-74-71), Il-Hee Lee (76-71-75-75), Beatriz Recari (70-77-72-78)
T39/+6 Rebecca Flood (71-72-75-80), Emma Bennett (72-71-73-82)
T42/+7 Rebecca Coakley (77-72-76-74)
T47/+8 Martina Eberl (72-73-74-81)
50th/+9 Samantha Head (75-75-74-77)
T57/+12 Titiya Plucksataporn (81-73-78-72)
T65/+16 Lotta Wahlin (75-79-74-80)
70th/+25 Stephanie Na (80-74-80-83)

Congrats to Laura Davies!!]

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