Webb Remains Perfect in 2000

Karrie Webb worked a little overtime for her fourth victory in four 2000 starts.

The 25-year-old Australian star won the Takefuji Classic on Saturday, beating Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam with a 10-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Sorenstam missed an 11-foot birdie putt in the playoff.

“It’s even better when you beat one of the greatest players in the game,� said Webb, who forced the playoff with a four-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation.

Webb, who earned $120,000 to push her tour-leading total to $325,000, won The Office Depot in January in Florida and the Australian Ladies Masters last week in her only other LPGA starts. She also won the Australian Women’s Open two weeks ago.

She has 19 official LPGA victories in only five seasons, including six last year when she set records with $1,591,959 in earnings and a 69.43 stroke average. She also won the LPGA’s 1995 Women’s British Open before gaining tour membership.

She forced the playoff with the birdie on No. 18, chipping from the fringe to set up the tying putt.

“I felt I could easily get to the green,� Webb said of her second shot on the 457-yard hole. “I hit a three-iron and came up short so I was really fortunate to get up and down.

“That was not the best spot, but I was on the right side of the hole. I wanted an uphill putt.�

Sorenstam, one victory away from qualifying for the LPGA Hall of Fame, just missed a birdie putt on the final hole of regulation.

“I’m disappointed, but I’ll just have to deal with it,� she said.

In the playoff, she left her birdie try just short.

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Franklin Langham admits he is a “nobody� on the PGA Tour, a 31-year-old grinder who couldn’t be identified by the gallery except for the name on his bag. But that could change today.

With an array of stars poised to make a move in the third round, Langham refused to get rattled and wound up in control of the Doral-Ryder Open with a four-under 68 that gave him a three-stroke lead over Jim Furyk at Miami.

“I’ve never led after 36 holes, now I’m leading after 54, so that’s a step forward,� Langham said. “I’m a marked man now. They’re going to be firing at pins. It ought to be exciting.�

Furyk had a 68 and was at 16-under 200, putting him in the final pairing today.

“I get to see him play. I get to see what the lead is,� Furyk said. “If the weather is real good, it all depends on what Franklin is doing.�

Should Langham hang on today, he will become the fourth player in the last three weeks to win for the first time on the PGA Tour. Kirk Triplett won in Los Angeles, and Jim Carter (Tucson) and Darren Clarke (Match Play) each won last week.