Friday, Aug. 5, 2005 | 10:10 a.m.
Pressel edges Harigae in playoff
At Roswell, Ga., Morgan Pressel, 17, and Mina Harigae, 15, each shot 5-under-par 67s in their morning round.
It was Harigae who lost, not missing a fairway or green in regulation until she finally succumbed to doing both on the first extra hole and departed.
"Mina played just flawless in the morning," said Pressel, happy to have survived then advanced to the quarterfinals in the afternoon with a 4 and 2 win over Jane Rah, 14, of Torrance, Calif. "It was fun with both of us bouncing back and forth, making putts on top of each other. It could have been the quality of golf you'd see in a final ? and I could have easily lost."
Mike Waldron, the Georgia State Golf Association executive director who worked as the walking rules official, called it "maybe the best match I've ever seen."
"That's probably the best I've played this summer," Harigae said. "It felt like a final match, especially the way we were playing."
It was Maru Martinez, 21, of Venezuela shooting 30 on the first nine of her afternoon match against 41-year-old Virginia Grimes -- with eight birdies in 10 holes -- and managing 14 birdies in two matches, which required only 27 holes.
"I feel very comfortable," said Martinez, offering the understatement of the day.
It was U.S. Junior Girls' champion In-Kyung Kim, 17, calmly ousting defending champion Jane Park in the third round with a birdie on the 20th hole -- a 5-footer from almost the exact spot where she missed on her first trip through the par-4 second hole.
Kim, who needed 19 holes in the morning to eliminate Georgia assistant coach Laura Matthews of Canada, barely changed her expression whether finishing with a bogey or a birdie.
Sorenstam trails fellow Swede by 2
At Loddekopinge, Sweden, Annika Sorenstam shot a 2-under 70 Thursday to trail fellow Swede Liselotte Neumann by two shots after the first round of the Scandinavian TPC.
Neumann had five birdies and one bogey for a 4-under 68 on the Barseback course, where Sorenstam helped Europe win the 2003 Solheim Cup.
Sorenstam, who is hosting the tournament, shared second place with Carin Koch and Marta Prieto.
The 39-year-old Neumann finished tied for fifth in last week's Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale.
"I switched coaches two and a half years ago and since then I've been playing much better," Neumann said. "Thanks to Henri Reis my swing is better and it gives me confidence."
Reis, one of Sweden's most renowned golf coaches, has worked with Sorenstam for many years.
Sorenstam three-putted No. 7 for her first bogey, and then mishit a chip on the 14th that led to another dropped shot. She made it up with birdies on the sixth, eighth, 12th and 17th holes.
"It wasn't that bad, but I made a few mistakes out there," Sorenstam said. "It's been a hectic week as tournament host."
The 34-year-old Sorenstam has lived in the United States since 1990 and visits her native country once or twice a year, and always for the annual Ladies European Tour event in Sweden.
Last year, Sorenstam won the event, then known as the HP Open. Since 1996, she has won LET tournaments five times in Sweden.
Foster grabs lead at 4-under
At Gleneagles, Scotland, Mark Foster shot a 4-under 68 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Johnnie Walker Championship, while Colin Montgomerie pulled out with an injured hand.
Montgomerie hurt his right hand while hitting a shot from the 18th fairway, his ninth hole, and he withdrew three holes later. It was the Scot's first event since finishing second in the British Open three weeks ago.
-- Sun wire services
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