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Prolonged finish still a triumph for Annika

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Published November 22, 2004

WEST PALM BEACH - Nothing went according to plan for Annika Sorenstam until the trophy presentation Sunday at the ADT Championship, a script she knows better than anyone.

She could have ended a dramatic duel with Cristie Kerr by making a 12-foot birdie on the 72nd hole, but the putt turned away at the edge of the cup to force a sudden-death playoff at Trump International.

With her opponent in the water, Sorenstam only had to hit the 18th green with a 7-iron to end the suspense.

Instead, she hit a spectator.

Ultimately, all that mattered was casually tapping in for bogey to win the season-ending tournament, capping another sensational season with her eighth victory.

"It wasn't as pretty as the previous holes," Sorenstam said. "A win is a win. By the end of the day, the trophy is in my hand. I'm happy."

Both players finished at 13-under 275 in regulation.

DUNLOP PHOENIX: Tiger Woods won his first stroke-play tournament in more than a year, capturing the event in Miyazaki, Japan, by eight strokes after closing with 3-under 67. Woods entered the final round with a 10-stroke lead and had five birdies to finish at 16-under 264 in the $1.89-million event, the richest on the Japan tour.

PEBBLE BEACH INVITATIONAL: Jeff Brehaut made a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a final-round 3-under 69 and a one-stroke victory over Kevin Sutherland. Brehaut finished at 9-under 279 at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links. The event included LPGA, Champions, Nationwide and PGA tour players as well as minitour players, club pros and amateurs.

UBS CUP: The Americans kept their 40-and-over tournament record perfect, defeating the international team in the Ryder Cup-style match-play event 14-10 to win the cup for a fourth straight year in Kiawah Island, S.C.

WORLD CUP: Paul Casey and Luke Donald clinched victory for England in the tournament in Seville, Spain, winning by one shot over Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Hajime Meshiai, an 11-time winner on the Japanese PGA Tour, shot 69 to retain a share of the lead after five rounds of the national qualifying tournament in St. Augustine. Meshiai was tied with former PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour player Don Reese (66) at 19-under 341. The top seven players after today's final round receive full exemptions onto the 2005 tour.

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