Karrie Webb Wins 2007 Women’s MFS Australian Open

After the first two days when Karrie Webb basically inherited the lead as everyone else fell away, Webb got serious on Saturday and moved clear of the field with a spectacular 4 under 68. Testimony to the brilliance of that score lies in the fact it was only one of three sub par rounds on Saturday.

This makes it Webbs’ third Australian Open (2000 and 2002 being the previous times she has won).

On the same course that recently hosted the Men’s 2006 MFS Australian Open, it became obvious that only the quality ball strikers would prevail.

As part of her resurgence in golf in the last twelve months, Webb has expressed her desire to savour the moment and enjoy her success more than has been the case in the past. This would be her chance to do just that.

For Webb, the six shot lead she enjoyed on the 18th tee gave her the chance to enjoy the support the Sydney golfing public had given her all week as she played the final hole. With the title firmly in her grasp, Webb was prepared to talk to the on course commentator at the last hole. In another time, and perhaps with less of a lead, Webb might not have done that but, as mentioned earlier, she looks at her success in a different light now and seems prepared to share it with others more than has been the case in the past.

“I haven’t really swung it all that well today,” she said as she walked to her tee shot. “It was a tight battle early on but the 10th was turning point,” said Webb referring to a great up and down she made from 9 feet for par to Wei’s bogey when it looked at one stage as she might have lost a shot.

It would be easy to get carried away with the fact Webb beat this field by such a margin but it should be remembered that this was a field that included very few golfers capable of challenging her on a week to week basis. She was after all the only player from the world’s top twenty in Sydney. Taking nothing away from the class of the field this week, it is hoped that now the MFS Women’s Australian Open has been reinstated that there will be even stronger opposition for Webb in 2008.

Outside of Webb the best of the Australians was Katherine Hull who improved from 40th to 9th as a result of her last round of 69.

But the glory belonged only to Webb who has started a year which she and many others feel could see her being the number one female golfer in the world at year’s end. With that in mind this has been the perfect start.