Germany’s Sandra Gal gets her maiden victory at the Kia Classic Championship
Germany’s Sandra Gal won the Kia Classic Championship here at the Industry Hills Golf Club course at Pacific Palms, overcoming some of the top ranking women golfers in the world. She is only the second German to win a LPGA event after Tina Fischer who won
the 2001 Asahi Ryokuken International. The 25-year-old German overtook world number two, Jiyai Shin, with a 20 foot birdie putt when shin missed her 5-footer birdie on the 18th. Gal had wedged her way out of a bunker to set up the birdie at the
final hole.
"I was trying to hole it," Gal said. "I came close. I thought I made it. I had the belief coming out this morning that I could win, I thought I could do it. I just tried to play the course instead of Jiyai."
Shin, an eight time winner on the LPGA tour, was disappointed with her putter and felt she could have fared better on the holes if she hadn’t missed out on the easy birdies. Shin gained a lead at par-3 15th when she pulled in a birdie only to
lose the lead to Gal, who equaled at 16th also with a birdie. Gal’s wedge almost dropped in the hole on the 18th but spun back, "I was digging really deep," Gal said.
Gal had been working hard to develop her game over the past couple of months and has travelled to Australia to participate in the Australian Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters where she finished sixth in the Australian Open. She has been gradually climbing
the leaderboard as she finished 10th in the LPGA Founders Cup last week.
Cristie Kerr and I.K. Kim settled for third place with an 11-under each. World number one, Yani Tseng, Na Yeon Choi finished 9-under and Michelle Wie finished another stroke behind.
"I felt like I shot a lot better than what I scored," Wie said. "Overall, I had a lot of fun. I played as hard as I can."
The event proved to be a disappointment for the Aussies as Kerrie Webb who had a splendid back to back wins before this event, ended up 62nd. Katherine Hull managed to finish in 32nd place, being the only notable Aussies on the leaderboard.
The LPGA tour now moves to the first Major of the season at the Kraft Nabisco.
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