Hawaiian Open
The rain and wind, which seemed like home for Alison Nicholas, helped the British player end a 19-month victory drought at the LPGA Hawaiian Open in Kapolei.
Nicholas struggled to a one-over 73 in the final round of the 54-hole event but held off Moira Dunn and Annette DeLuca for a one-stroke triumph and the #67,000 top prize.
''On the fifth tee, we were absolutely soaked. It reminded me of home,'' Nicholas joked. ''I knew that because of the weather it was going to be a tough day.''
She made it look easy, finishing on seven-under par to win more money over three days than she had since 1997.
''Last year was a tough year,'' she added. ''I won the US Open in 1997 and I suffered from the pressure beyond that. I'm delighted to be back in the winner's circle.''
Nicholas had eight pars and a birdie on the front nine, chipping to within 18 inches at the seventh for her solitary birdie of the day.
The back nine was a different story under the wet, windy conditions. After saving par at the par-four eleventh hole, she three-putted from 25ft for a bogey at thirteen and did it again from 40 feet at the closing hole.
Dunn fired a 68 and DeLuca a 70 but both remained winless on the LPGA Tour.
Australia's Jan Stephenson fired a 71 to claim fourth at 211, her best finish since a share of third at the Longs Drug Challenge in April of 1997.
Michelle McGann, who shared the second-round lead with Nicholas, plunged from the leaderboard with a nine-over 81 that included four double-bogeys, four bogeys, an eagle and a birdie.
Helen Dobson, from Skegness, claimed a share of fifth place with a final round 71. Leading final scores (USA unless stated):
209 - A Nicholas (GB) 70, 66, 73.
210 - M Dunn 70, 72, 68; A DeLuca - 69, 71, 70.
211 - J Stephenson (Australia) 71, 69, 71.
212 - H Dobson (GB) 71, 70, 71; P Hurst 69, 71, 72; M Hjorth (Sweden) 68, 72, 72; C McCurdy 68, 70, 74.
Other scores included:
215 - C Matthew (GB) 70, 71, 74. 218 - S Strudwick (GB) 72, 71, 75. 220 - S Lowe (GB) 72, 73, 75. 226 - K Marshall (GB) 73, 73, 80. 229 - L Davies (GB) 74, 72, 83.
qLarry Nelson used a solid final nine holes to end Bruce Fleisher's bid for a third consecutive win at the start of his Senior PGA Tour career, winning the GTE Classic by two strokes.
Nelson shot even par on the front side of the Tournament Players Club of Tampa Bay, but an eagle and two birdies in a steady drizzle gave him a 67 that matched Fleisher's round and left his rival two strokes back in second.
Fleisher last week became the only player ever to win each of his first two Senior PGA Tour events.
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