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Wie makes charge, but finishes second


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POSTED: Sunday, December 13, 2009

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates » Hawaii's Michelle Wie's late charge fell short at the Dubai Ladies Masters yesterday and In-Kyung Kim of South Korea claimed a three-shot victory at the season-ending tournament for her first European Tour title.

Wie shot a 7-under 65, tied for the day's best round, but the 13th-ranked Kim responded to the pressure with a 4-under 68 that left her at 18-under 270. Maria Hjorth of Sweden was third at 274 after a 68.

“;Michelle had a great turn. She had six birdies until 13 and that was very impressive,”; Kim said. “;But I tried to keep playing my game and I think I did a good job. After I made the birdie on the 10th, I knew I was playing well and had nothing to worry (about).”;

Wie could have made Kim sweat on No. 18, but her attempt to reach the green in two failed when her ball rolled back into a water hazard. Wie made par, but the pressure was off Kim.

“;I was annoyed by that second shot. But you know, other than that, I felt like I tried my hardest out there,”; Wie said.

Sweden's Sophie Gustafson, who finished at 6 under and tied for 14th, did enough to win the European Tour's Order of Merit title ahead of Catriona Matthew of Scotland.

Anna Nordqvist of Sweden was named rookie of the year after shooting a 72 that gave her a share of fourth at 11 under.

 

Victory for Allenby

Robert Allenby shot a 5-under-par 66 today for a four-stroke victory at the Australian PGA and his second tournament win in two weeks.

Allenby, who won last week's Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, claimed his fourth Australian PGA title. His last came in 2005, when he swept all three tournaments in the so-calle

d Australian Triple Crown—the PGA, Open and Masters.

The 38-year-old Allenby finished with a 14-under total of 270 on the par-71 Hyatt Regency resort course.

Fellow Australians John Senden (67) and Scott Strange (69) tied for second.

 

Stricker and Kelly up by 1

Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly fell out of the lead for most of the day before rebounding nicely at the end of the Shark Shootout's second round at Naples, Fla.

Stricker birdied No. 18 to finish a run of five birdies in six holes to get the team to 13-under 131 for a one-stroke lead at Tiburon Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.

“;It's going to be a shootout,”; Stricker said. “;There's a ton of teams up there at the top, and a lot of birdies are going to be flying (today). We've got to get right in there with our own games and make a lot of birdies on our own, too.”;

Stricker's 8-foot birdie prevented a four-way tie. Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes, Steve Flesch and Dustin Johnson, and Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank were all at 12 under after the better-ball second round.

 

Martin takes 2-shot lead

Spain's Pablo Martin shot a 1-under 71 yesterday and has a two-stroke lead over three-time winner Ernie Els and fellow South African Charl Schwartzel in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Malelane, South Africa.

Martin, four strokes ahead at the start of the round, had a 14-under 202 on the Leopard Creek Country Club course.