Sorenstam Named 2017 Solheim Captain

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Annika Sorenstam says she is going to have "fun" being European captain at the 2017 Solheim Cup.

Vice-captain when the United States regained the trophy last year in Germany, the 45-year-old Swede said: "I can not tell you how excited I am.

"I had hoped and dreamed that this opportunity would come along. This is really going to be a lot of fun."

Europe will attempt to win back the trophy at Des Moines Golf Club in Iowa next August.

Sorenstam played on two winning sides, at Loch Lomond in 2000 and at Barseback in 2003, and was also instrumental in two victories as a vice captain in 2011 and in 2013.

No player has won more matches for Europe than Sorenstam.

Her record of 22 victories is equalled by England's Laura Davies, who played in nine more matches than the Swede.

She and Dame Laura Davies hold the European record for Solheim Cup matches won, on 22, and Sorenstam also holds outright the record for foursomes points with 11 1/2.

Sorenstam was part of winning teams at Loch Lomond in 2000 and Barseback in 2003, where Swedish players celebrated a famous victory on home soil, and also as a vice-captain in 2011 at Killeen Castle and two years later in Colorado.

"I cannot tell you how excited I am," Sorenstam said as she was introduced as captain. "I have hoped and dreamed this opportunity would come along.

"If I look back at my career, the Solheim Cup has always been an important part of it. We play as individuals for 99 per cent of the time but when we do get together it's something special.

"A lot of the memories from my career go back to the Solheim Cup so when I stopped playing I was hoping I could continue to be involved, and getting the chance to be a vice-captain was really eye-opening.

"I thought 'one day, when I am ready' I would love to get this opportunity, and I thought by 2017 I would be ready. I had support from the tour and this is going to be a lot of fun - I'm looking forward to getting to work and engaging with the players.

"It's all about building memories and I think that is our goal."

Ladies European Tour CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh added: "We are extremely pleased to have Annika leading our team for the next Solheim Cup match in Iowa.

"When you think about her pedigree as the best player of our generation, her personal accomplishments and Solheim Cup experience, she has an exceptionally strong understanding of the attributes required to be an inspirational, respected and successful captain of the European Team." 

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Henderson Makes LPGA History

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Brooke Henderson won the Cambia Portland Classic by eight strokes on Sunday to become the third-youngest champion in LPGA Tour history.

The Canadian teen closed with a three under 69 at Columbia Edgewater to finish at 21 under 267, the lowest total since the event went from 54 holes to 72 in 2013.

Only Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson have won LPGA tournaments at a younger age than Henderson, who is 17 years, 11 months and six days old,

Henderson's eight-stroke win is the largest margin of victory on the LPGA Tour since Jiyai Shin won the 2012 Women's British Open by nine shots.

She claimed the lead in Friday's second round and never let go of it thanks to a sensational round of 65 on Saturday.

Henderson added five more birdies on Sunday and even two dropped shots in the last six holes were never going to prove costly, such was her advantage.

Korea's Ha Na Jang finished in a tie for second with Candie Kung of Chinese Taipei - they both finished with rounds of 70 - and Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum who carded a 68.

Spain's Azahara Munoz fared best of the European challenge in a tie for fifth place on 12 under alongside American pair Austin Ernst and Mo Martin.

Elsewhere, Hannah O'Sullivan won the US Women's Amateur championship, beating Sierra Brooks 3 and 2 in the 36-hole final at Portland Golf Club.

The 17-year-old O'Sullivan, from Chandler, Arizona, took the lead with a birdie on the 30th, added birdie wins on the 32nd and 33rd and ended the match with a two-putt par for a halve on the par-four 34th.

O'Sullivan won the Symetra Tour's Gateway Classic in February at the age of 16 to become the youngest winner in the history of the professional circuit

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Teen Henderson Leads in Portland

Brooke Henderson is on course to becoming only the third player in LPGA history to win a tour event before turning 18, after opening a five-stroke lead at the Portland Classic.

The 17-year-old hit a seven-under 65 in the third round at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Oregon.

She also equalled the tournament's 54-hole record of 18-under 198.

Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson are the only players to win an LPGA Tour title before their 18th birthday.

"I had a lot of fun out there today," said Henderson, who reached the tournament via the qualifiers on Monday.

"I got some lucky breaks. I think that's due to my positive energy. I try to focus on my shots and block out any negativity."

American Morgan Pressel also hit a 65 on Saturday to move second on 203, one stroke ahead of German pair Sandra Gal and Caroline Masson with one round remaining.

A win on Sunday will give Henderson an LPGA Tour card for next season.

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PGA Honour for Sorenstam

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Annika Sorenstam has been named the 2013 PGA First Lady of Golf by the PGA of America.

The 43-year-old Swede becomes the first non-American to win the biennial award as she was recognised for her outstanding achievements both on and off the course.

Sorenstam won 89 tournaments worldwide during her glittering career, including 10 major titles, and she remains the all-time leading money winner on the LPGA Tour with earnings of over $22m.

She is also the second-highest points scorer in the Solheim Cup, posting a record of 22 wins, 11 defeats and four halved matches in her eight appearances for Europe.

Sorenstam won her 72nd and final LPGA Tour title in 2008 before announcing her retirement, and she has since set up a number of businesses including a teaching academy, a golf course design firm and a financial-planning group.

She is also the spokesperson for a charity which encourages children to live a healthy, active lifestyle through improved fitness and nutrition.

"Annika's impact upon women's golf in the modern era has been remarkable, setting a standard that may never be touched," said PGA of America President Ted Bishop.

"Her commitment to fitness and excellence made her a legend on the course, but her legacy in the game also includes a sincere dedication to growing a healthy next generation and inspiring future young women through golf.

"The PGA is honored to now call her the 2013 PGA First Lady of Golf."

Sorenstam added: "I have been so fortunate throughout my life to have people who helped pave the way for me to work hard and exceed my goals on and off the course.

"I truly feel like I am living a dream and want to help the next generation do the same.

"It's gratifying that The PGA of America has taken notice of our programming that offers junior girls the opportunity to play first-class tournaments around the world, while also educating them about the importance of health and wellness. I'm flattered to be named the 2013 PGA First Lady of Golf."

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Pettersen Keeps Taiwan Title

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Suzann Pettersen held off a late challenge from Azahara Munoz to retain her Sunrise LPGA Championship title in Taiwan.

Pettersen's overnight four-shot lead had been whittled down to a single stroke at the turn after she bogeyed the ninth following three birdies in four holes from Munoz, who then joined the Norwegian on six under with another birdie at 12.

But the world No 2 responded with two straight birdies at 13 and 14, and another at the last capped a resolute three-under 69 and earned a five-shot victory over her Solheim Cup team-mate.

Munoz was left to count the cost of dropped shots at 13 and 16 as she laboured to a back-nine 37, although she still claimed outright second on four under par.

"I was 4 under through 12 holes, and I was really playing really well," said the Spaniard. "I made two bogeys coming in but I hit two really good shots and one came up short and one came up long, just misjudged the wind a little bit but I played really well."

Pettersen's fourth victory of the season made significant inroads into world No 1 Inbee Park's lead at the top of the LPGA Money List.

Park, who did not play in Taiwan, leads Pettersen by just $93,613 with two tournaments remaining this season.

"It feels great to come here and defend my title and play as well as I did," said Pettersen, whose win was the 14th LPGA Tour title of her career.

"It was very tough out there. Since the very first shot on Thursday, the conditions gave us a very big challenge. Today, Azahara gave me an even bigger challenge.

"She played really good on the front nine - well, she played really good all around. I think I can almost thank her for keep pressing and keep pushing me because I just had to keep staying aggressive and try to make birdies."

Another Solheim Cup star, Caroline Hedwall, closed with a two-under 70 to clinch third place on two under, while South Korean Eun-Hee Jee was the only other player to finish under par for the week.

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St Leon-Rot Wins 2015 Solheim

The 2015 Solheim Cup will he held at the St Leon-Rot Golf Club in Germany.

It will be the first time the biennial event, contested between the best European women and their Americam rivals, will be held in the country.

The course, located near Frankfurt, has previously hosted the European men's Tour's Deutsche Bank SAP Open.

Europe hold the Solheim Cup, having won the 2011 event at Killeen Castle in the Irish Republic, and will defend it in Colorado next year.

"It will be a fantastic experience for our golf in Germany," said Sandra Gal, a member of the victorious 2011 European team.

"I am sure my home country will be a great host."

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Miyazato Wins First LPGA Title

Japan's Mika Miyazato won the Safeway Classic on Sunday for her first victory on the LPGA Tour, finishing with a 2-under 70 to beat Brittany Lincicome and Inbee Park by two strokes.

The 22-year-old Miyazato finished at 13-under 203 in her wire-to-victory on Pumpkin Ridge's Ghost Creek Course. She shared the first-round lead and had a two-shot advantage after the second.

Lincicome shot 67, and Park had a 70.

The 22-year-old Miyazato, in her fourth season on the LPGA Tour, is the sixth first-time winner this year. She broke through after a pair second-place ties in June.

South Korea's Haeji Kang had a 66 — the best round of the day, to tie for fourth at 10 under with Cristie Kerr (70) and So Yeon Ryu (71). Sydnee Michaels, the first-round co-leader, was four strokes back after a 70.

Michelle Wie had her first top-10 finish of the season, shooting a 69 to finish eighth at 8 under.

Top-ranked Yani Tseng faded with a 73 to finish at 6 under. Paula Creamer was 3 under after a 76.

Miyazato was cruising on the front nine, and took a three-stroke lead into the back nine. But a bogey at No. 10 — her first in 40 holes — helped bring four players within a stroke of the lead down the stretch.

No one was able to pull even with Miyazato, who gave herself some insurance with a 5-foot birdie putt at short par-4 17th for a two-stroke lead.

Park made five birdies in an eight-hole stretch. She missed a 6-foot eagle putt on 17 that would have given her a share of the lead.

Lincicome birdied the final two holes in her bogey-free round.

Kang made eight birdies, and moved into contention on the back nine, pulling within one stroke of the lead with a birdie at the par-3 16th. But Kang's bid came apart at the 17th when she tried to drive the green and went into the water, leading to a double bogey.

Miyazato earned $225,000.

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