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The scene on 18 / photo

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
An exhausted-looking Annika Sorenstam celebrates her U.S. Women's Open title on the 18th green.

As if there were any doubt about the outcome of this playoff, Annika Sorenstam made a tremendous approach shot to the 18th green, putting her in a commanding position to make par. Pat Hurst's approach skidded, coming to rest far away from the pin, back at the front edge of a distant fringe.

As the two golfers approached, walking next to each other in their matching canary-yellow polos, the people in the bleachers mostly stood to applaud. Sorenstam and Hurst, who are both gracious people in their own, very different ways, each acknowledged the cheers. People wearing red shirts had carted out a table and some large flower pots to use as props for the Annika coronation ceremony.

Someone screamed Annika's first name, as they have been wont to do here. Then came more yelling: "Great show ladies!" and "Thank you ladies for the great golf!"

Silence again. And then Hurst, who was treated very warmly today by the spectators, gave the people one last thing to cheer about. She made her best shot of the day, a remarkable birdie putt from way back on that fringe -- I'm not sure how far away it is; I'll tell you later. She gave a pump of her fist, then gave her caddie, Dan Wilson, a high five one last time. The crowd went nuts.

Then Annika stepped up for her birdie attempt, which came up maybe 2 feet short. At this point she had a four-stroke advantage. And yet this very precise professional picked up her ball, set it down again, sized up the hole, backed up and sized up the hole some more, even swinging her club a couple of times to get the rhythm. And she made the putt. In celebration, she looked up at the sky, as if exhausted, lifted her club over her shoulders, and stood stone still for a moment. No more questions about droughts.

-Mike McDermott

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 12:58 PM | Permalink

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