Longs Drugs Challenge: History

Longs Drugs Challenge Returns
October 9 through 12, 2008
Danville, California • Blackhawk CC

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2003 Champion Helen Alfredsson	2003 Alfredsson Picks Up First Victory Since 1998 Associated Press LINCOLN, Calif. -- Helen Alfredsson's first win in five years didn't happen the way she wanted it to. She'll take it all the same. Alfredsson shot a 2-under 70 Sunday and picked up her first victory since 1998 after Pat Hurst's double bogey on the final hole of the Longs Drugs Challenge. ''I have mixed emotions, you don't like to see someone finish like Pat finished,'' said Alfredsson, who nearly doubled her earnings for the year with the $150,000 first-place check. ''She had played well all day. I wish I could have just won outright, doing something like making a birdie.'' Alfredsson made an 18-inch par putt on the 18th hole at the Lincoln Hills Club to tie a tournament record with a 13-under 275 and defeat Hurst, Grace Park, Rachel Teske, Se Ri Pak and Yong Yeon Lee by one stroke. The win lifted Alfredsson to 30th on the career money list and moved her from 85th to 39th among this year's leaders. A five-time winner on the LPGA tour, the last of Alfredsson's 14 international wins came at the Wales Open in 2001. ''I was not trying to stress over it or want it too much,'' said Alfredsson, whose previous best finish in 17 tournaments this year was an 11th. ''When you haven't been playing well, you want it so much. ''If this is a dream, don't wake me up.'' Hurst appeared to have the tournament won when she took a one-shot lead into the final hole. But she four-putted from the fringe for a double bogey allowing Alfredsson to get the victory. ''I didn't close the door,'' Hurst said. ''All I was trying to do at 18 was two-putt. I never thought I would have been that short (on a poor approach shot).'' Park had the best final-round score of the second-place finishers with a 69. Hurst, Teske, Pak and Lee all shot 70. Alfredsson began the day with a one-stroke lead. Alfredsson, who entered the final round with a one-stroke lead, was 1-over for the day after nine holes but recorded three birdies on the backside. She had her last birdie at the par-5 15th and made par over the final three holes. The final hole was a nightmare for Hurst. After a good final tee shot, she was 140 yards from the pin. Her wedge into a long downhill green was way short, landing on the fringe. Looking to lag a long first putt, Hurst left it very short. Her next putt for par, which would have won the tournament, wasn't much better. She then misread a 3-footer, essentially giving the victory to Alfredsson. ''All three of those putts were going downhill. I thought they would be faster than they were,'' Hurst said. ''I thought the green was firm and the ball would roll faster. None of them did.'' Defending champion Cristie Kerr was never in the hunt. She shot a final round 75 and was 12 shots behind Alfredsson. ... Celebrating her 40th birthday, Laura Davies had a 71 for a 281 total. Two-time winner Inkster had a final-round 69. ... Karrie Webb (68), Lorena Ochoa (69) and Catriona Matthew (70) trailed Alfredsson by three strokes.

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	© 2008 Longs Drugs Challenge. All Rights Reserved Copyright © Photos by Danny Salz & Dina Wong - EM&PS, Frank Kay, Getty Images	2007 Champion Suzann Pettersen