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July 3, 2006
Sorenstam wins U.S. Women's Open in 18-hole playoff, Grabs 10th career major and 3rd U.S. Open title
Once again, Odyssey Golf Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam proved her mettle when it mattered most. The No. 1 ranked woman in the world won her third U.S. Women's Open Monday in an 18-hole playoff at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. It was her 10th career major championship victory.
After playing 36 holes on Sunday, Sorenstam birdied the first two holes of the playoff and kept the pressure on all morning. She used her trusty Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Blade Putter to card a 1-under-par 70 and win by four strokes. She led by two strokes after the first hole and held a five-shot lead at the turn.
"I think overall my game was really solid," Sorenstam said. "I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. I putted well; I might not have made a lot, but I only had one or two three putts, and I think that's rare in championships like this when the wind has been blowing because you're not going to be very close to the pin."
It had been 10 years since Sorenstam last won the Open. She captured back-to-back Open titles in 1995 and 1996. Amazingly, she has now won a major LPGA championship in six consecutive seasons. The entire field was forced to play 36 holes on Sunday after fog cancelled opening-round play on Thursday and Sorenstam was up to that grinding task and the additional 18 on Monday.
"It doesn't get much better than this," Sorenstam said. "It's been a long and tough week. You know, they say that the big championships you've really got to earn, and I felt like I worked really, really hard this week to earn this. Pat (Hurst) played really well, and when you have to go into a playoff like this, really anything can happen. I mean, obviously it feels awesome, and to win this championship again after ten years means a lot to me."
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