Webb Wins Rochester Intl.

June 11, 1999 / 12:16 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Karrie Webb did not blow a chance to notch her fifth victory of the year, shortly after Cindy McCurdy did not get the blow of wind she needed.

Webb helped her case for hottest golfer in the world, draining a 10-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole Sunday to finish one stroke ahead of McCurdy and win the LPGA's Rochester International.

Building her lead atop the money list, the 24-year-old Webb captured her 14th career title in just her fourth year on tour by finishing at 8-under-par 280.

Her five victories this season -- two more than any other LPGA player and one more than anyone on the PGA or Senior Tours -- are already one more than she won in any of her previous three years as a professional.

With a two-shot lead over Webb, McCurdy had the chance to build a three-shot cushion with a 20-foot birdie putt. The ball appeared ready to fall in the hole but barely stayed on the right edge, seemingly needing a simple gust of wind to fall into the cup.

Instead, McCurdy tapped in for par and moments later, Webb cut the deficit to one shot after landing her approach shot within five feet of the flag on the par-4 16th and sinking the birdie putt.

Webb came through with a huge drive on the par-5, 459-yard 17th, leaving herself with just 167 yards to the hole. A mediocre second shot with a 7-iron landed short and to the right, but Webb recovered with a chip that stopped 18 inches from the cup.

That tap-in birdie moved her into a tie for the lead with McCurdy, who two-putted from 40 feet to par the finishing hole and complete her final-round, 4-under-par 68. She still had a chance to post her first victory since the 1993 Sun-Times Challenge, McCurdy's only LPGA Tour title.

Her opportunity fell by the wayside minutes later. Webb put her drive in perfect position on the left side of the fairway at the par-4 18th and knocked her second shot 10 feet short of the pin.

Webb rolled in the birdie putt to collect a first prize of $150,000, bumping her 1999 money-leading total to $941,198. No other LPGA Tour player has won more than $700,000 this season.

Seven shots back after the first round, Webb came back with a vengeance.

She parred the first nine holes Sunday before collecting four birdies and two bogeys on the back side, finishing with a 2-under 70. Webb moved into contention with a 67 on Friday and took a two-shot lead after a third-round 68.

Although it seemed a given coming into the day, Webb extended her LPGA record streak of consecutive top-10 finishes to 16 events. She has quickly jumped back into the limelight after giving way the past month to fresh face Kelli Kuehne and U.S. Women's Open winner Juli Inkster.

McCurdy jumped a stroke in front of Webb late in the round after posting back-to-back birdies, draining a 30-footer at No. 15 and hitting from five feet at the par-4 16th to reach 7-under.

Webb fell two shots back after three-putting for bogey on the par-3 15th before coming back, making McCurdy settle for her second career runner-up finish.

Kristi Albers, also winless since 1993, shot 69 today and ended up alone in third at 5-under 283.

Reigning Rookie of the Year Se Ri Pak finally appears to be coming around.

The 21-year-old Korean shot a final-round 68 and finished at 4-under 284, posting her best finish of the year with a tie for fourth. At last week's U.S. Women's Open, she challenged for the title before a disappointing weekend dropped her into a tie for 14th.

Hall of Famer Beth Daniel joined Pak at four shots back, carding a final-round 68. The 42-year-old Daniel has 32 LPGA victories, but none since 1995.

Rosie Jones, last year's champion, was two strokes back of Webb to start the day but struggled to a final-round 73. Also a winner here in 1993, Jones finished at 3-under 285 with Gail Graham.

Two-time defending Player of the Year Annika Sörenstam missed the cut at the Open and again struggled this week.

The 28-year-old Swede barely made the cut and capped the tournament with a 76 today, ending up at 5-over 293. Like Pak, Sörenstam remains winless in 1999 after collecting four titles last year.

The Locust Valley Country Club is a par-72 layout that spans 6,162 yards.