Pressel fends off Pettersen to win in Hawaii

Golf Betting Lines

10/19/2008 - Maui, HI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Morgan Pressel birdied two of the last three holes Sunday to fend off Suzann Pettersen and win the inaugural Kapalua LPGA Classic.

Pressel closed with a three-under 69 to complete the tournament at eight- under-par 280.

"I said to my caddie that I like to make things a little more interesting," joked Pressel. "I missed a couple putts on 14 and 15. Missed a couple greens too and then holed one of them from off the green. It's awesome to win here at Kapalua."

Pettersen, who won five times last year but hasn't won this season on the LPGA Tour, also shot 69 in the final round to end one back at minus-seven.

Laura Diaz took third place at six-under-par 282 after a final-round 70. Angela Stanford (70) and Sun Young Yoo (72) were two shots back at minus-four.

Pressel entered the final round tied for the lead with Carin Koch, Jee Young Lee and Brittany Lang. Pressel opened with four straight pars before stumbling to a bogey on the fifth.

She bounced back with a birdie at the seventh, but trailed Pettersen, who was making a big charge.

Pettersen ran off three straight birdies from the fifth to jump into the lead at minus-seven. She rolled in a 15-footer for birdie at the ninth to move three strokes clear of the field at eight-under.

Pressel, who was two groups behind Pettersen, sank a 12-footer for birdie on nine to move within two. Pettersen then three-putted for bogey on the par-four 11th on the Bay Course at Kapalua Resort.

The 20-year-old Pressel drained an 18-footer for birdie at 13, but gave that shot right back with a bogey on 14. Pettersen again three-putted for bogey at 15 to slip into a share of the lead at minus-six.

Pressel birdied the 16th to grab the lead. Moments later, Pettersen got up and down for birdie at the last to join Pressel at seven-under.

After making par from a bunker on 17, Pressel rolled in a 22-foot birdie putt from off the green at the last to claim her second LPGA Tour title.

"I was a little nervous, especially after the putts I had on 14 and 15 just didn't have enough speed," said Pressel of her last three putts. "I thought I was going to make them both (on 16 and 17). It's just mind over matter and they went in. And the one on 18, I just got lucky."

Pettersen finished second for the third time this season, but she has won twice on the Ladies European Tour.

"My plan was to go out there and get some early birdies on the board and I had a fantastic front nine," Pettersen stated. "I played pretty good on the back nine, but the putts just didn't drop. I've been knocking on the door a few times this year. The last couple of weeks I've felt my game was getting closer and closer. I'm happy with where I am."

Koch tripped to a two-over 74 and share sixth place at three-under 285 with Stacy Lewis, who set the course record with a final-round six-under 66.

Lang and Lee both closed with a 75 to end in a tie for eighth at two-under-par 286. They were joined there by Heather Young, Cristie Kerr, Meena Lee and Linda Wessberg.