Sorrenstam attains goal with par

Monday, Nov. 23, 1998 | 10:20 a.m.

Annika Sorenstam won the LPGA Tour Player of the Year award, captured the money title and became the first player to average below 70 in a season.

Still, Sorenstam said, 1998 was not her best season on the LPGA Tour.

"What means the most to me is the majors and I haven't done so well at the majors this year," Sorenstam said. "I finished second at du Maurier and I did have a good chance to win there but other than that, I haven't performed (well in the majors).

"But if you look at the whole season, I played in 20 events and I've been very consistent. I like to make history and making low scoring average is one way to make history. But I want to win majors."

Sorenstam entered Sunday's final round of the PageNet Tour Championship needing to shoot even par to set the tour's single-season scoring average. Although she was 2 over par after 10 holes, Sorenstam birdied No. 13 and made an eagle-3 at the par-5 15th to get to 1 under.

She three-putted the par-4 18th hole for a bogey, but finished at even-par for the day and the tournament, establishing a record with a 69.99 scoring average for the season.

"I'm overwhelmed, especially now that I finished the round knowing what I had to shoot today to set a record on the scoring average," she said after winning her third Vare Trophy for low scoring average. "I've had this little burden on my shoulder and it's something I really wanted to achieve."

Sorenstam already had clinched the money title before the Tour Championship, and after Se Ri Pak struggled in the first two rounds this week, it became clear that Sorenstam also would clinch her third Player of the Year honor.

Sorenstam has lowered her scoring average every year since she joined the LPGA Tour in 1994. After averaging 71.90 strokes in 1994, she has averaged 71, 70.47, 70.04 and, this year, 69.99.

Karrie Webb established the LPGA Tour scoring record of 70 last season.

Moving day

With her first-place finish and $215,000 payday Sunday, Laura Davies made the biggest move on the LPGA Tour money list.

Davies qualified for the Tour Championship with her 24th-place standing in earnings, but rocketed to 11th place with her win. Davies finished the season with $517,547.

The top three players -- Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak and Donna Andrews -- maintained their positions on the money list; Karrie Webb moved up one spot from fifth place; Liselotte Neumann dropped from fourth to fifth; Juli Inkster remained at sixth; Brandie Burton moved up one spot to seventh; Pat Hurst went from ninth to eighth; and Meg Mallon dropped from seventh to 10th.

Rough week

Although Annika Sorenstam managed to set a record for season scoring average and clinch the Player of the Year award, the 27-year-old Swede was unable to defend her championship.

Sorenstam finished at even-par 288 for the tournament and tied for 14th place.

Se Ri Pak, the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year who, like Sorenstam, won four tournaments this season, struggled to an 8-over-par 296 and a 25th-place finish.

Good week

Dale Eggeling, who finished 31st on the money list but made it into the Tour Championship only after Tammie Green withdrew because of her pregnancy, finished tied for seventh place at 5-under 283 and earned $33,000.