For a few moments, the inaugural Kellogg-Keebler Classic looked like it would have the final-round matchup of which promoters only dream.
Karrie Webb birdied the seventh hole to draw within three shots of leader Annika Sorenstam, who was two holes behind her. It was as close as anyone would get to Sorenstam’s 21-under-par 195. Webb pulled her second shot into the water on the par-5 ninth, ending her surge.
“If I was going to give Annika a run for her money at that stage, put a bit more pressure on her, I had to make birdie,” said Webb, who bogeyed three holes on the back nine to finish at 7-under 209 with a 1-over 73. “I really didn’t put a good swing on it the rest of the day.”
As it turned out, Webb would have needed a 59 just to get into a playoff with Sorenstam, who tied the LPGA record of 21 under. Webb, who will be defending her LPGA Championship this week, knows how Sorenstam feels.
“It’s a good feeling,” she said. “She’s on top of the world right now. It’s great for her.”
Rally cap: Michele Redmond made a late charge with a back nine of 4 under par to finish in a tie for second with Mhairi McKay and Danielle Ammaccapane at 10 under par. Redmond, who was a shot behind Sorenstam with a 64 in Friday’s first round, birdied four out of five holes, starting at the par-4 11th hole, to make her move for a runner-up finish.
“Today I hit it really well and kind of hung in there until the back nine,” said Redmond, who had shot 74 Saturday. “Last week I didn’t finish well the third day and I kind of brought it back. I just kind of built on that today. I hit a lot of balls when I got done [Saturday]. I was really patient today. I was even on the front and made all my birdies on the back.”
Stamp of approval: Cindy Schreyer won the 1993 Sun-Times Challenge at White Eagle Country Club, just down the road from Stonebridge. Despite all those great memories and a nice check, Schreyer was very pleased with the change in venue.
“It’s nice to get back to Chicago,” said Schreyer, who finished 7 under for the tournament. “We’ve got a lot of great fans here. It’s nice to be back where we’re really appreciated. The golf course played really great this week. We were able to make a lot of birdies, and it made for a great week.
“I like this golf course. I won on White Eagle, and this one has a little bit more character. You have to be able to think your way around a little bit, more than taking a driver and teeing it up.”
Roller coaster: You could get dizzy looking at Jackie Gallagher-Smith’s scorecard at Stonebridge. Friday, she was two shots off the lead with a 65. Saturday, she was 5 over at 77. Sunday, she finished with a 68.
“I just didn’t make any putts Saturday,” she said. “It was a lot tougher conditions, obviously, but I hit it real solid. I had 35 putts [Saturday] and 28 the day before. The greens were a little faster and I didn’t adjust to the speed. That [77] was real fluky. I didn’t lose confidence because I hit it fine. It was one of those days you have to forget. I couldn’t do any worse, that’s for sure.”
Gallagher-Smith got herself back on the leaderboard Sunday with six birdies in a nine-hole stretch to get to 8 under. A double bogey on the par-4 16th bumped her back to 6 under.
“I hit it over the green on 16,” she explained. “A little bit too much adrenaline. I hit the right club and made the right swing. It ended up in the junk. I lipped out to make 6.”
