BETHESDA, Maryland, 14 June 2005 — Sergio Garcia fired a final round six-under-par 65 to win the Booz Allen Classic in Potomac, Maryland on Sunday and establish himself as one of the hot favorites for next week’s US Open.
The Spaniard finished with a course record-equaling 14-under 270 at the historic Congressional Golf Club to claim a two-stroke victory over defending champion Adam Scott of Australia and Americans Davis Love III and Ben Crane.
The 25-year-old began the day trailing overnight leader Tom Kite, 30 year his senior, by two shots but mounted an early charge with five birdies and an eagle on his opening 10 holes to rocket to the top of the leaderboard.
With his first win of the season in sight, Garcia stumbled to the finish with bogeys on two of his final four holes, including the last, but held on to win the $5 million event.
As he walked up the final fairway the Spaniard admitted “having the ghosts of Wachovia floating over my head”, recalling his dramatic final round collapse when he squandered a six-shot lead and then lost to Vijay Singh in a playoff last month.
Scott made a late bid for back-to-back titles but his only bogey of the day on the par four 17th, after his approach found the water, left him needing an ace on the par three last to force a playoff.
The Australian took his best shot at the 18th but had to settle for par and a three-under 68 for a share of second place.
South African Ernie Els, who won his second US Open title at the Congressional in 1997, had looked poised to return to the winner’s circle early in the day with four consecutive birdies to close out his front nine.
But the world No. 3 fell apart after the turn mixing one birdie with four bogeys and a double-bogey on 18 to return a one-over 72 and finish in a tie for seventh at eight-under 276 with six other players.
World No. 1 Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson are not pleased with their form heading to Pinehurst for the start of the year’s second major.
After missing the cut a week ago at the Memorial, the hard-working Fijian was still battling to find his form, carding a final round par 71 including a triple-bogey at the last.
Mickelson also walked off the 18th on a sour note finishing with a double-bogey five for a three-over 74 to join Singh in a tie for 29th at five-under 279.
US Open champion Retief Goosen also needs to quickly find his form to have any chance of successfully defending his crown after the South African finished his final tune-up event with a three-over 74 for a total of two-over 286.
Sorenstam Wins LPGA Championship for Third Year
In Havre de Grace, Maryland, Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam became the first woman to claim the same major three years in a row as she won the LPGA Championship and maintained her bid for a season’s grand slam on Sunday.
Sorenstam, five shots ahead overnight, fired a final round 73 to finish on 11-under-par at the Bulle Rock Golf Course, three shots ahead of 15-year-old American amateur Michelle Wie.
It was the Swede’s ninth career major, her sixth title of the year and her 62nd LPGA victory in 11 years on the Tour.
She is now fifth on the all-time list of major winners behind Patty Berg (15), Mickey Wright (13), Louise Suggs (11) and Babe Zaharias (10). Most importantly in her eyes, it was two out of two in the majors this year and the Swede now has her sights on becoming the first player to win all four for a season’s grand slam.
Sorenstam’s victory was more comfortable than the margin suggests but it was still a glorious day for Wie, whose 69 left her on eight-under with a third top 10 placing in six majors.
Another talented American teenager, 18-year-old Paula Creamer, who has already won as a rookie on the LPGA Tour, shared third place with Britain’s Laura Davies on six under after a joint best of day round of 67.
Sorenstam extended her overnight lead to eight after four holes and was still seven ahead when she reached the turn in 35. But the Swede then dropped four shots on a back nine of 39 that included bogeys at the last two holes.
