Pettersen beats Choi in playoff at Safeway

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Suzann Pettersen rallied to win the LPGA Safeway Classic on Sunday, overcoming a nine-stroke deficit with a 7-under 64 and beating Na Yeon Choi with a par on the first hole of a playoff at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.

In the playoff, Choi’s second shot on the par-4 18th went into the water to the right of the green, and she missed a putt for bogey before Pettersen sank the winner.

Pettersen, coming off a victory Aug. 7 in the European tour’s Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle, won her second LPGA Tour title of the year and eighth overall. The Norwegian star jumped to No. 2 in the world rankings behind Yani Tseng.

“I didn’t really expect this when I when I woke up this morning nine strokes back,” Pettersen said. “I guess when you’re on a roll, you’re on a roll.”

Choi finished with a 73 to match Pettersen at 6 under on the Ghost Creek Course.

Choi, from South Korea, birdied the par-4 17th to take a one-stroke lead, but dropped a shot after leaving a chip well short on the final hole to force the playoff.

Christina Kim shot a 78 to finish a dismal 11 over, but it was just enough to keep her in the 10th spot in the points standings for the U.S. Solheim Cup team that will take on their European counterparts in late in September at Killeen Castle. Rosie Jones then completed the 12-player team by adding Vicky Hurst and Ryann O’Toole as captain’s picks for the Sept. 23-25 matches.

Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., was the top Canadian, finishing tied for 53rd at 7-over 220.

Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane, Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp tied for 68th at 9-over 222.

Montreal’s Lisa Meldrum was 81st at 14-over 227.

Pettersen, also the Sybase Match Play winner in May in New Jersey, locked up a spot on the European Solheim Cup team with her victory in Ireland. The European team will be finalized after the world rankings are updated Aug. 29.

Pettersen eagled the par-5 10th hole Sunday to help propel her into the lead.

“It was like two inches short,” Pettersen joked about her eagle shot — which was nearly a double eagle. “It was as close as you can get, I guess.”

But Pettersen’s recent success has been bittersweet. Recently she lost a dear family friend in a skydiving accident. And she was still reeling from the July 22 attacks in her homeland that left 77 dead. Anders Behring Breivik has admitted detonating a bomb that killed eight people in central Oslo and fatally shooting 69 others at an island youth camp.

“It makes you realize life’s not all about golf,” she said. “It makes you put things in perspective.”

In 2009, Pettersen came close to winning at Pumpkin Ridge, but settled for second after M.J. Hur birdied the second hole of a playoff.

Hee Young Park, still looking for her first tour win, shot a 67 Sunday to finish third at 5 under.

Paula Creamer had a 68 to finish another stroke back. The fan favourite had one of the largest galleries of the day, including a pink-clad admirer who carried a sign reading “Go Paula, Cream the Field.”

Choi tied for second last year, two strokes behind Ai Miyazato.

Miyazato had a final round 68 to finish this weekend at 1 under, while Michelle Wie shot a 75 on Sunday to finish the tournament at 9 over.