Golf: Goosen runs into top form just in time for Masters

DULUTH - South Africa's Retief Goosen won his sixth tournament in 10 months, as he captured the Classic at the TPC at Sugarloaf in Georgia by a comfortable four strokes over Sweden's Jesper Parnevik yesterday.

It was Goosen's second win in an American tournament, overcoming a dismal start to put away Phil Mickelson - who led by two strokes at one point - and Parnevik in the BellSouth-sponsored event. Goosen closed with a two-under-par 70 in difficult conditions finishing at 16-under 272. Parnevik posted 65 early in the day for a 276 while Mickelson was a shot back.

New Zealander Phil Tataurangi finished in a four-way tie for eighth, nine strokes behind Goosen, after shooting a final-day two-under 70. That meant a paycheque for US$106,440 ($245,345) after his second top-10 finish of the year on the Tour, after his tie for fifth at the National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.

Of the other New Zealanders, Frank Nobilo blew out with a 76 to finish at 289, equal 39th, and Grant Waite had a 73 to finish on 291, equal 50th.

Goosen headed off to the United States Masters - about a two-hour drive away - with the kind of short game that makes him a contender for his second major championship. The first came last summer, when he won the US Open at Southern Hills in an 18-hole playoff over Mark Brooks.

The greens in Duluth yesterday were Augusta-like after drying out in four days of sun and steady breezes. Parnevik was one of only three players who broke 70.

* South Korea golfer Se Ri Pak shot a one-over par 73 in the final round yesterday of the US$S1 million ($2.31 million) LPGA Tour event in California, capturing her first win of the season and her 14th LPGA title.

Pak started the day with a three-shot lead over Swede Annika Sorenstam and held on down the stretch for her first victory in six months. Sorenstam shot a one-under-par 71, closing to within one stroke heading into the final hole with a birdie on 17.

Pak finished at seven-under 209 in the tour's first 54-hole event since the season-opening Takefuji Classic, which Sorenstam won in a playoff over Canadian Lorie Kane.

New Zealander Marnie McGuire had an even-par 72 yesterday to finish on 222.

* Carl Pettersson became the European Tour's seventh first-time winner of the year when he won a sudden-death playoff against Briton David Gilford yesterday as the weather-stricken Algarve Portuguese Open in Faro was reduced to 36 holes.

The Swede's par at the first extra hole was enough to overcome experienced former Ryder Cup player Gilford, winner of the 1993 Portuguese Open.

Three players tied for third place, a stroke off the playoff - Spain's Miguel Martin, Briton Greg Owen, and Swede Henrik Nystrom.

- AGENCIES