Planet Golf — 22 March 2014 by GW staff and news services
Webb wins among legends

PHOENIX, Az. — Karrie Webb, one of the most ardent supporters of honoring the history of the LPGA and its 13 Founders, fittingly became the first two-time winner of the JTBC Founders Cup Sunday.

The LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member fired a 9-under 63 in Sunday’s final round to capture a one-shot victory at the JTBC Founders Cup. Webb came from six shots back to defeat third-round leader Lydia Ko and four other players who finished at 18-under-par, including defending champion Stacy Lewis. This is Webb’s 41st career LPGA Tour victory, which moved her into a tie for 10th on the LPGA’s all-time win list with Founder Babe Zaharias.

“I didn’t expect to be sitting here at the start of the day,” Webb said at her post-victory press conference. “Even actually when I finished the day I didn’t expect to be sitting here.  So I feel a little bit lucky, I guess, to be sitting here.  But it doesn’t make it feel any less special.

Webb received a phone call on Friday night and on the other end of the line was LPGA Founder Louise Suggs. Although Suggs was unable to make it to Phoenix for this week’s, she wanted to tell Webb that she needed to shoot 64 on Saturday to get herself back in the mix. Webb wasn’t able to deliver that right away as she shot a 69 in the third round but she got things going on the back nine on Sunday.

The 39-year-old birdied six of her final eight holes, including sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th that gave her the outright lead at 19-under-par.

“Louise told me that I had to go out and shoot 64 yesterday, which I let her down and I didn’t do that,” Webb said. “So I made it up to her today, though.”

Webb finished her round more than an hour and a half ahead of the final group, leaving her awhile to sit and watch the rest of the players try to make a run at tying her. But no one could catch Webb. And the 38-year-old capped off the special day by donating $50,000 of her $225,000 winner’s check – $25,000  to LPGA-USGA Girls Golf and $25,000 to “The Founders” film, which is a documentary that is being shot about the 13 Founders.

“It’s a very special event, and you know, I thanked Mike Whan out on the 18th green, but it really was a wonderful idea and concept that he came up with four years ago,” Webb said of winning the Founders Cup for a second time. “I hope it’s an event that continues to grow and is around as a part of the LPGA for a very long time.”

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