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Wie falters, just misses out on first LPGA win

Stanford overcomes three-stroke deficit to win SBS Open

SBS OPEN at Turtle Bay - Final RoundGetty Images
Michelle Wie, seeking a win in her first tournament as an LPGA Tour member, let a three-stroke lead slip away Saturday.

Stanford and Wie started the day tied for the lead at 8 under. The last time Wie led going into the final day was at the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open where she was tied with Annika Sorenstam and Brittany Lincicome. Wie ended up tied for third.

The finish was Wie’s 14th top-10 in her career and best since the 2006 Evian Ladies Masters. Wie also played the first SBS in 2005 as a 15-year-old amateur and tied for second.

“Obviously, it’s not like I want to be second place all the time,” Wie said.

Stanford, of Saginaw, Texas, said it’s just a matter of time for Wie. “She’s got all the shots. Once she figures things out, she is going to be just fine.”

Conditions at Turtle Bay were breezy for a second straight day with a few passing showers. Players tried to stay conservative with the wind.

“(Stanford) just seemed very stead and very in control,” Wie said.

Wie took sole possession of the lead when Stanford missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eighth. The uncharacteristic mistake was Stanford’s lone bogey of the tournament.

Wie went up by two strokes at the turn by sinking an 18-foot birdie putt that had the gallery packed three deep around the ninth green cheering wildly.

The lead could’ve been bigger but Stanford was able to scramble for par. Stanford’s drive bounced on the fairway and sailed left, through the crowd and over the cart path. Her ball came to rest at the roots of a large tree. She took a drop but went up-and-down to save par.

The crowd that followed the final group was almost as entertaining as the golf. The gallery ranged from Wie’s former classmates to real sumo wrestlers complete with topknots to stars from ABC drama “Lost,” which is filmed on Oahu’s North Shore.

Brazilian-born Angela Park struggled in the tradewinds and had a 75 to tie for third with South Korea’s Na Yeon Choi (69) at 4-under 212, six strokes behind Stanford.

Taiwan’s Yani Tseng (72), the 2008 rookie of the year, and Japan’s Ai Miyazato (71) were 3 under, and Cristie Kerr (69), Sarah Lee (69) and Brittany Lang (73) followed at 2 under.

More on Michelle Wie  |  LPGA

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