Katherine Hull has broken through for her first LPGA win after holding off the big name players to win the CN Canadian Women's Open by one shot from Se-Ri Pak.

Hull began the day a distant six shots behind overnight leader, rookie Ya-Ni Tseng, and two short of Hall of Famer, Se-Ri Pak. She shared third place with world number one Lorena Ochoa, with whom she would be paired in the final round.

Most would have expected Tseng, winner of this year's McDonald's Championship, to hold on to her four shot lead, or perhaps a major challenge from Pak or Ochoa who between them have captured 41 LPGA titles, including 6 majors.

But Hull proved the more consistent and best able to handle the pressure in one of the marquee events outside of the majors. She posted three birdies in her outward nine holes, as both Tseng and Pak were stumbling behind her. Tseng turned in 3 over par, Pak and Ochoa both finished the opening nine holes in two over par, leaving the threesome all tied with nine holes to play.

A safe back nine of level par was enough to secure the win for Hull, as the more fancied trio continued to struggle with their games and the fight for the US$337,500. Hull completed her round, a 3 under par 69 with a two stroke lead over both Tseng and Pak who needed to eagle the par 5 finishing hole to force a playoff. Tseng could only manage par, whilst Pak birdied to secure outright second place.

For Hull, it was a significant confidence boost and reward for recent hard work which has seen her turn an inconsistent year into a breakthrough year. She had this year recorded two top finishes but missed eight cuts and was sitting in 51st place on the money list.

(Berkshire, England)

At 20 years, 3 months and 6 days Korea�s Ji-Yai Shin has become the fifth youngest winner of a women�s major after sealing a three-shot victory at the 2008 Ricoh Women�s British Open at Sunningdale Golf Course. She also became the youngest winner since the Open became a major in 2001. After starting with rounds of 66, 68 and 70, Shin fired a bogey-free round of 6-under par 66 to finish on 18-under par total 270. In outright second place was this year�s winner of the McDonald�s LPGA Championship, Taiwan�s Yani Tseng. A final round of 6-under par 66 saw her move up from tied 6th to runner-up spot.

Shin started the final round at 12-under par, just a shot behind Japan�s Yuri Fudoh, and just in front of a host of players all in with a chance at victory with a good final round. Those players included the likes of Japan�s Ai Miyazato (-11); World No.7 Cristie Kerr (-10) and Hall of Famer Juli Inkster (-10). However, none of this well-credentialed group could mount any type of challenge to combat the superb play of Shin. Miyazato finished with a disappointing double-bogey on the 18th to finish at 13-under par in 5th place while Kerr made back-to-back bogeys at 7 and 8 to ruin her chances, finishing at 12-under in 6th place. Inkster couldn�t get anything to happen early on and never mounted a challenge, finishing at 9-under par in a tie for 14th.

The day was all about Shin and Fudoh in the end. They both started with a birdie before Shin made up the deficit on the 5th with her second birdie. However, it was the 9th hole where Shin notched up another birdie to capitalise on a mistake by Fudoh who walked away with bogey to leave Shin with a two-shot lead. They traded birdies on the par 5 10th before Shin virtually assured herself of the title with back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes to leave her four ahead with four to play. She managed four straight pars to collect her first major title as well as a string of other benefits that come with being a major champion. Apart from the US$314,464.00 cheque, she gained exemption to the Women�s British Open for 10 years, a spot in the season-ending ADT Championship and most importantly, an invitation to join the LPGA Tour.

Anyone who watched Shin play in Australia early in the year will remember her making Karrie Webb bring out her absolute best to force a playoff at Kingston Heath in the 2008 Women�s Australian Open, which Webb eventually won. They should also remember her sportsmanship in losing such a tight tussle and her admiration for one of the games best ever players. What many wouldn�t know is that she came out to Australia on her own to force herself to better her English. She had many dealings with the media during the week of the ANZ Ladies Masters and was an absolute pleasure for the media to deal with, given the language barrier. After wrapping up her first major, she said, �My whole life, I�ve been waiting for this time and my dream comes true now. This morning I was nervous and last night it was very difficult to sleep.�EShe only started playing golf at the age of 11 after watching countrywoman Se Ri Pak win the 1998 US Women�s Open and commented, �Before, I never know golf. I�m watching her and then; now I�m watching her and still she�s my hero.�EShe now has the opportunity to inspire more young Korean girls as level of play on the final day should see her star should continue to shine in the coming years.

While none of the Australians really made a challenge for the title, Karrie Webb got it to 8-under through the middle of her third round but couldn�t capitalise. She made three bogeys on the back nine to give herself virtually no chance of contesting for the title on the final day. However, a final round 4-under par 68 saw her move up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for 9th at 10-under par total 278. Katherine Hull and Joanne Mills both finished in a respectable tie for 48th at 1-under par. Mills was solid but not spectacular, never venturing too far from the even par mark in any of her rounds. Meanwhile, Hull started the final day in 19th place but could only manage a 4-over par 76 in the final round to slip down the leaderboard. Rachel Hetherington also made the weekend but finished well back in tie for 69th.

(Sunningdale Golf Club, Berkshire, England)

Japan�s Yuri Fudoh and Korea�s Ji-Yai Shin hold a one-shot lead heading into the final two rounds of the 2008 Ricoh Women�s British Open. Both players are at 10-under par on the Sunningdale course after they both added 4-under par 68�s to their opening rounds of 66. They are being chased by an all-star international pack headed by first round leader Juli Inkster, who carded a solid 2-under par round of 70 to sit on 9-under.

Shin will be remembered by Australians as the player who took Karrie Webb to the playoff in the 2008 Women�s Australian Open. The current World No. 10 has this year already recorded three victories on her home tour in Korea (after nine wins in 2007) and another on the lucrative LPGA of Japan.

While World No.22 Fudoh may not be that well known to Australians, she is a legend in her own right in Japan. She was the leading money winner on that tour for six straight years from 2000-2005 and has 40 tournament victories to her credit. She is aiming to become just the second Japanese player to win the Women�s British Open after Ayako Okamoto won in 1984.

The round of the day came from 2007 US Women�s Open champion Cristie Kerr who finished with a round of 7-under par 65 to move into a tie for 4th place at 8-under. She would be a little disappointed in the end as she had to settle for seven pars to finish her round after being 7-under through 11 holes. Korea�s Bo Bae Song turned in her second consecutive 68 to sit tied with Kerr and will be one to watch on the weekend having had only 2 bogeys in the opening two rounds.

World No.1 Lorena Ochoa, 2007 Evian Masters Champion Natalie Gulbis and Japanese �darling� Ai Miyazato all sit on 7-under par and well within touch with 36 holes to go. Defending Champion, Ochoa has made 7 birdies at the eight par 5�s she�s played and is looking in good touch to be �in the mix� come Sunday afternoon.

Another four players sit just four strokes off the lead including Laura Diaz who had what is arguably one of the most bizarre even par rounds imaginable. For the second day in a row, she eagled the first hole and then came an extremely mixed bag. Her next 17 holes included another two eagles on 10 and 11, one birdie, five bogeys and one double bogey. Out of all that, a round of 72 that sees her sit on 6-under par with Japan�s Momoko Ueda, Swede Sophie Gustafson and Korea�s Eun-Hee Ji.

A further 33 players sit on 2-under par or better and all in with a realistic chance of contending on Sunday. Karrie Webb is one of those after a second round of 3-under par 69 to go into the weekend at 3-under 141. Rachel Hetherington and Katherine Hull are just one shot behind Webb after rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. Joanne Mills also made the cut and will be go into the third round on 1-under par 143.

In her final major before retirement, Annika Sorenstam has fired two even par rounds to make the cut but sits well back in a tie for 59th. The cut was made at 1-over par 145.

Round 3 commences just after 4.30pm AEST.

Seven-time major championship winner, Juli Inkster carded a flawless round of 7-under par 65 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the 2008 Ricoh Women�s British Open. In perfect conditions, seven players fired rounds of 6-under par 66 to sit just behind the American.

With holes 1 and 2 being par-5�s, the Sunningdale course sets up for players to make a fast start with two par-5�s. Inkster did just that with birdies on the 1st and 5th holes before an eagle on the short par-4 9th with a putt from 18-feet. Further birdies on the 10th, 12th and 14th holes saw her finish with a one-shot lead. After her round, the 48-year-old who is aiming to become the oldest player to win a major credited Australia�s Ian Triggs with getting her �on the right path.� Karrie Webb is one of Triggs� students and after flying from France on the same plane as Webb, Inkster asked, �any chance he (Triggs) could watch me hit a few.� It has obviously worked with Inkster now in a good position to join Webb as the only player to win the LPGA Super Career Grand Slam which includes the du Maurier Classic.

Of the seven players who carded rounds of 6-under, the round of Japanese star Momoko Ueda was probably the most remarkable. She became only the 15th player in Tour history to card back-to-back eagles when she made a 2 at the 273-yard par-4 9th hole and a 3 at the par-5 10th. She is joined in a tie for second by fellow Japanese Yuri Fudoh, Koreans Ji-Yai Shin and Ji Young Oh, American�s Laura Diaz and Stacy Prammanasudh and England�s Johanna Head.

World No.1 Lorena Ochoa was bogey free through 15 holes including 5 birdies, however, she stumbled with bogeys at the 16th and 17th to finish with a round of 3-under par 69. Afterwards, she said, �I have no complaints. I think the first day; try to put my name up there. I�m not worried�. In contrast, Annika Sorenstam, who could be playing her last ever major championship, fired an even par round of 72 commenting, �It�s just so disappointing that I just can't seem to pull it together. I just cannot play 18 holes it seems like.�

The best score amongst the 8-strong Australian contingent was Katherine Hull who continued her recent good form to fire an impressive 3-under par 69 to sit in a tie for 22nd. She fired six birdies in her round with only one of those coming on the four par-5�s which is where most players made their score in a low-scoring first round. Just one shot behind Hull, is Joanne Mills and Rachel Hetherington. Mills played her usual steady golf, carding three birdies and just the solitary bogey on the par-3 15th. Hetherington has good memories of this course after finishing runner-up to Karen Stupples when the tournament was last played here in 2004. Her 2-under par round included 4 birdies.

Karrie Webb, winner here in 1997, fired an even par round of 72 to sit in a tie for 66th alongside two-time LET winner Nikki Garrett. Lindsey Wright has plenty of work to do in the second round to make the cut after shooting a disappointing round of 2-over par 74 to sit in a tie for 91st. A double bogey, bogey finish saw her slip from 1-under and could prove costly.

Other scores of note were last week�s winner at Evian Helen Alfredsson who shot a 3-under par 69, Laura Davies was up-and-down finishing at 2-under par 70 to be tied with World No.3 Suzann Pettersen and McDonald�s LPGA winner Yani Tseng. Amy Yang finished with a 1-under par round of 71 while the �Pink Panther� Paula Creamer finished on even par. US Women�s Open champion Inbee Park had a disappointing start, mixing back-to-back double bogeys with an eagle to finish at 2-over par 74.

The second round continues today from 3.30pm AEST.

For the first time since 2004, The Ricoh Women�s British Open returns this week to the Old Course at the Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, England. Originally designed more than 100 years ago by two times Open Champion Willie Park Junior, the layout was redesigned not long after by prolific course designer Harry Colt and has remained one of England�s best inland courses since.

The Sunningdale Golf club is situated around 45 kilometres south and west of central London and this year will stage this event for the fourth occasion, having previously played host in 1997, 2001 and 2004. In 2004, Karen Stupples defeated Australian Rachel Hetherington by five shots after the Englishwoman produced a miraculous opening to her final round with an eagle and albatross in her first two holes and raced ahead.

A purse of US$2.1 million is on the line for the field of 144 players , the event bringing together arguably the best line-up ever assembled for this event.

The defending champion is Lorena Ochoa, No.1 on the Rolex Rankings at present and destined to become one of the greatest of all time. Already with an incredible six LPGA Tour events to her name in 2008, including her first Kraft Nabisco title, Ochoa played well enough last week when 5th at the Evian Masters for her to be considered the favourite for the title. Ochoa has had personal issues to deal with of late including the death of two extended family members and the Evian Masters was her first start since the US Women�s Open. Ochoa should be primed for a solid defence of her title this year.

Given that she has been such a dominant force in the game for so long, Annika Sorenstam�s record in this event has not been what might be expected. The Swede, who may well be playing in this event for the last occasion, won in 2003 at Royal Lytham & St Annes and although not at the peak of her game at present, is playing well enough to offer a memorable swansong. She did reasonably well last week in France but she will need to be at her best to win what might well be her final ever major championship.

Suzann Pettersen has won twice on the European Tour this season and has developed into a big event player of late. She was neither good nor bad last week at the Evian but must surely be a factor this week.

Paula Creamer has yet to win a major championship, the only player in the first six players in the Rolex Rankings to not have a major to her name. That could change this week as she has been a three time winner on the LPGA Tour this season and was 9th last week in France.

Karrie Webb gave her admirers some hope in her quest to win her fourth Women�s British Open when producing a final round of 6-under par 66 last week at the Evian Masters. She could only manage a 25th place finish in the event but the great finish will have her arriving at Sunningdale in a good frame of mind. One of Webb�s three victories in this event came at Sunningdale in 1997.

It has been 15 years since Helen Alfredsson won her first and only major championship but the rejuvenated Swede�s runner up finish at the US Open and victory at last week�s Evian Masters gives her a chance of her best finish in this event since finishing runner-up in 1993 prior to the event joining the LPGA schedule. England's Laura Davies, a crowd favourite and long-time supporter of women's golf in Australia, will be contesting her 60th straight major championship. Her streak stretches back to the 1994 Kraft Nabisco Championship and in 21 years on the LPGA Tour has only missed the 1990 LPGA Championship and 1993 du Maurier. No one would be more aware than Davies of the fact that a 5th major championship title would secure her a spot in the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame. Certainly, no fan or fellow competitor would begrudge the affable Englishwoman this accolade.

There are many others who have a chance to do well including the brilliant rookies, Yani Tseng and Na Yeon Choi and second season player Angela Park. All three have displayed a capacity to contend in major championship golf and there would be little surprise if either Choi or Park secured their first major title or Tseng her second. Seon Hwa Lee has won twice in the 2008 season and she would also be confident of her chances going into the year's final major. With the standard of women's golf increasing all the time, this all points to a very open

Apart from Webb, the Australians in the field are Lindsey Wright, Rachel Hetherington, Katherine Hull, Joanne Mills, Nikki Garrett, Rebecca Coakley and Leah Hart. Coakley and Hart earned their place in the field on Monday of tournament week when they finished amongst the 19 qualifiers at Final Qualifying at the Berkshire Golf Club. West Australian, Dana Lacey, birdied the first extra hole to secure the first alternate position at that same qualifying and may yet become the ninth Australian in the field.

Wright has contended at various stages in recent majors and although not quite as sharp as it was earlier in the season, her game has now progressed to the point where another good week at this level is on the cards.

Rachel Hetherington all but won this event in 2004 and, while her form is not at the same level it was then, there are signs of improvement of late. She contended at the recent Jamie Farr event in Ohio before a poor last round and has thrown in the occasional good round in recent weeks. If she could put it all together this week she stands a chance of a good finish.

Katherine Hull has struggled in major championship golf, her best finish coming at this event last year when 25th. She is a much better player than those results would suggest however and with several solid tournaments behind her of late could well secure her best finish in a major this week.

Joanne Mills plays the Ladies European Tour these days as do fellow entrants Nikki Garrett and Leah Hart. Joanne Mills is currently in 13th position on the Ladies European Tour money list and was second in the Spanish and third in the English Opens. Garrett also finished runner-up in Spain but has not done as well since and is currently in 25th position on the 2008 LET money list.

History of Women�s British Open

The Women�s British Open began in 1976, became an LPGA Tour event in 1994 and became a major championship on the LPGA and Ladies European Tour schedule in 2001 when it replaced the Du Maurier event as the fourth major championship in women�s golf. In recent years the event has been taken to some of the world�s great golf courses including venues such as St Andrews, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham & St Annes and Turnberry and as a result has been elevated even further in status.

After more than twenty years being known as the Weetabix Women�s British Open, the Championship took on a new sponsor last year when Ricoh became the title sponsor in the tournament�s first visit to St Andrews. In doing so the championship became the first ever women�s professional event played at the Old Course at St Andrews and the initiative proved to be a huge success when Lorena Ochoa won her first major championship.

The US Women�s Open begins on Thursday at the Interlachen Country Club in Edina, to the south west of Minneapolis in Minnesota, with six Australians earning their way into the most significant event in women's golf.

Karrie Webb, Lindsey Wright, Rachel Hetherington, Katherine Hull, Wendy Doolan and Rachel Bailey will fly the Australian flag as they attempt to add to the previous Australian victories in this event by Jan Stephenson (1983) and Karrie Webb (2000 & 2001.)

The event is being played at this venue for the first time in its history although Interlachen Country Club is not new to high level tournament golf, having played host to the 1930 US Open Championship, several significant USGA events, the 1993 Walker Cup and the 2002 Solheim Cup.

The defending champion at this year�s Women�s Open is Cristie Kerr, who finally converted several near misses in major championship golf when she defeated Angela Park and Lorena Ochoa by two shots for her first major championship victory at the Pine Needles Lodge in North Carolina. Kerr has not had an outstanding season in 2008 but there is evidence of late to suggest she is peaking at the right time. She recorded a final round of 69 at the Wegmans event to finish 5th and as a proven big event player, she has her claims.

Lorena Ochoa carries the mantle of favouritism into the event having dominated the female game in the past eighteen months and although without a US Open Championship to her name as yet, the Mexican certainly has impressive claims this week. Ochoa has won six events on the LPGA Tour in 2008 and leads both the Rolex World rankings and the 2008 LPGA Money list by significant margins.

Ochoa has not played this event as well as she has the other major championships, perhaps because of her relative inaccuracy from the tee causing problems on the tight golf courses set by the USGA at the US Open, but she has reached a stage in her career where a victory this week is very much on the cards. She was 6th at last week�s Wegmans LPGA event in Pittsford, a solid lead up to this week.

Three time champion, Annika Sorenstam, may well be playing this event for the final time should she, as indicated, quit the LPGA Tour later this year. Sorenstam has won three events in 2008 and although she only narrowly made the cut last week in Pittsford before finishing 33rd, she should still do well.

World No. 3, Suzann Pettersen, has found form at just the right time, finishing runner-up at last week�s LPGA Tour event. The Norwegian showed in 2007 that once she has found form she sustains it for some time and she will prove a tough and likely contender this week as she looks to add a second major championship to her growing list of tournament victories.

Rookie 19-year old, Yani Tseng from Taiwan, showed she is up to major championship golf with her recent win at the McDonald�s Championship and this season�s two-time winner, Paula Creamer must be considered some sort of chance to win her first major championship.

The Korean challenge is headed by Jeong Jang although there are many others who could also do well.

Of the Australians, Webb�s form has been a roller coaster in 2008 but she is a proven big event player and is a two-time winner of this very Championship. She finished runner-up at the recent Ginn Tribute but was perhaps a little disappointing at the McDonald�s LPGA Championship. Webb is coming off a two week break and has stated she will focus on staying patient this week.

Lindsey Wright continues to make progress on the LPGA Tour, improving each year and this week gets her third start in the event. Wright missed her first cut of the season last week in New York, however, she has shown when contending at events such as the 2006 Women�s British Open and the 2007 McDonald�s LPGA Championship, that her game is suited to major championship golf. Wright has posted three top 10�s this year but is still chasing her first win on the LPGA Tour. Despite recovering from a niggling shoulder injury, she is playing with confidence and it would be no surprise to again see her challenge in a major.

�I haven�t heard a lot about the course at this stage,� said Wright after missing the cut last week. �I�d imagine it will be set up like a typical US Open course and emphasis will be placed on hitting fairways and greens. I am sure it will be bloody hard and I will need to putt well. I am disappointed to have missed the cut in my final lead up event but it gives me a little more time for the shoulder to get better.�

Rachel Hetherington has occasionally played well in this event, an 8th place finish in 2006 her best. Hetherington, who was recently in contention after two rounds at the McDonalds Championship, needs to put four solid rounds together. Her putter has let her down at critical times this year with her best result from eleven starts being T24.

Katherine Hull, Wendy Doolan and Rachel Bailey made this week�s field via final qualifying. Hull has shown glimpses of her true ability this season, but overall is struggling for consistency. She has missed three of her last four cuts and she will need a significant turnaround if she is to better her previous best in this event when 25th last year at Pine Needles.

Doolan has done well to earn a start in the event but her game is not anywhere as sharp as it was when winning three times on the LPGA Tour in earlier years. She has missed six of her last seven cuts this season.

27-year-old Bailey is to a large extent the �odd woman out�. Bailey played collegiate golf in New Mexico before turning professional but is the only non-LPGA Tour player amongst the group of Australians. From Faulconbridge in New South Wales, Bailey plays on the Duramed Futures Tour where she has struggled for much of the 2008 season. Making the field this week is a great achievement in itself and there is no doubt her first "major" tournament will be an experience she will never forget.

All four rounds of the 2008 US Women's Open will be broadcast on Fox Sports.

Duramed FUTURES Tour

(Decatur, Illinois)

Queenslander Sarah-Jane Kenyon has posted her second runner-up finish from as many starts on the Duramed FUTURES Tour after posting a final round 5 under par 65, to finish outright second at the Michelob ULTRA Duramed FUTURES Players Championship this morning.

American Vicky Hurst claimed her second win of the year after herself firing a final round 65, to turn a four shot deficit at the start of the day, into a four shot win.

Despite competing in just three events this year, Kenyon's runner-up prize of US$11,500 moved her from 24th to 6th place on the Duramed FUTURES Tour Money List

Ladies European Tour

� CAUDAL NOTCHES FIRST WIN IN PORTUGAL
(Algarve, Portugal)

The domination of the French continued in Portugal as Anne-Lise Caudal secured her first professional victory at the Ladies Open de Portugal overnight. The 24-year old second-year tour player took the title with a one-shot margin over compatriot Gwladys Nocera and England�s Georgina Simpson.

Caudal began the final round with a one-shot lead over Sweden�s Louise Stahle and upon arriving at the course Nocera said �Okay, one and two; first and second.� In the end, it turned out that way, but she certainly didn�t have it all her own way, needing a birdie on the last to secure the win. It was the third straight victory by a Frenchwoman after wins by Sophie Giquel and Stephanie Arricau in 2007 and 2006 respectively.

Going in to the back nine, Stahle held a one stroke advantage before stumbling with bogeys at both the 12th and 13th holes, while Caudal remained solid. She increased her lead to two shots after a birdie at the 13th. It was then a rollercoaster finish, with a bogey at the 14th followed by another birdie at the 15th to move to 16-under. In front of her both Nocera and Simpson were playing catch-up and finished on 15-under.

Caudal made a three-putt bogey at the penultimate 17th before moving to the par-5 18th tee box with Stahle one-shot behind. Both players found the green in two with similar eagle putts from 20-feet. Unfortunately for Stahle, she three-putted while Caudal calmly two-putted for the birdie to secure the win. Talking about the last hole afterwards, she said, �Before I hit the drive I saw the leader board and I saw that Gwladys and Georgina were minus 15. I said, �Okay, if you make a birdie you win so just put the ball on the green and two putt.� When I putted my ball and I saw the second was very short, I said, �Okay now you can do it! Okay, just watch the hole and no more.�

Lynn Brooky was the best of the Australasians, continuing her recent solid form, finishing in a tie for 15th at 8-under par total 211. Next best was Kate Combes, who recorded her best finish in her rookie season in a tie for 22nd at 6-under par total 213. Dana Lacey, Bronwyn Mullins-Lane, Nikki Garrett and Sarah Nicholson all placed in the Top-50 with Mullins-Lane�s tie for 40th her best finish of the season.

LPGA of Japan

� UEDA CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY IN STYLE
(Hyogo, Japan)

Current LPGA rookie, Japan�s Momoko Ueda has carded a final-round even-par 72 to win the We Love KOBE Suntory Ladies Open Golf Tournament in Hyogo Prefecture. Her win by one shot over a trio of players completed a triumphant homecoming and gave her the perfect present on her 22nd birthday. Ueda produced rounds of 70,69,70,72 for a winning score of 7-under par total 281 to defeat countrywoman and overnight leader, Shiho Oyama and Korean pair Bo-Bae Song and Eun-A Lim.

In an extremely close contest, Ueda rolled in a par-saving putt on the 72nd hole, while overnight leader Oyama was left to rue what might have been as she finished by bogeying the same hole in a final round of 3-over par 75.

Australia�s Tamie Durdin finished in a tie for 21st at 2-over par total 290 after rounds of 70,71,74,75.

OCHOA FAVOURITE BUT WEBB FINDING FORM

The second major championship for 2008, the McDonald�s LPGA Championship, starts on Thursday June 5th at the Bulle Rock Golf Course in Havre De Grace Maryland, the fourth consecutive year the event has been played at the Pete Dye designed layout.

The tournament was first played at this venue in 2005 and measuring over 6,600 yards for this week�s event, one of the longer courses the LPGA Tour plays all year.

Defending champion Suzann Pettersen recently summed up her thoughts on Bulle Rock and what it takes to succeed there. �Bulle Rock is all about hitting fairways. If you hit fairways, you're in a position to hit aggressive shots into the green. That was my strategy last year, not trying to reach anything off the tee but just trying to get the accuracy. On some of the par 5s, I tried to take advantage. You've got to play smart but you can be aggressive where there's room to be aggressive.�

Pettersen began a run at this event that would see her win four further times on the LPGA Tour in 2007 and the Norwegian arrives at this event in 2008 building towards her best form once again. She won in Switzerland two weeks ago and at last week�s Ginn Tribute in South Carolina finished 9th, giving every indication that she is well placed to successfully defend what was not only her first major championship victory but her first LPGA Tour win.

In order for Pettersen to do so, she will need to outgun the World No.1 and six time LPGA Tour winner in 2008, Lorena Ochoa, and previous winner on this golf course and ten time major champion, Annika Sorenstam, to name but a few.

Ochoa took last week off to be with her family at a time of family illness but she is sure to be very much in the thick of things as the tournament draws to a climax on Sunday. Perhaps unfairly treated when fined for not competing at the Corning Classic due to a workload accentuated by her success, Ochoa will attempt to become only the third woman to win three consecutive major championships. Ochoa won the Weetabix Women�s British Open at St Andrews last year and then backed up with a win at the Kraft Nabisco Championship two months ago.

Sorenstam struggled a little last week at the Ginn Tribute event she hosted but as a three time winner in season 2008 and a previous winner on this golf course her credentials need little scrutiny.

Karrie Webb has been runner up at this venue in each of the past two seasons and following her encouraging return to form, more especially on the greens, at last week�s Ginn Tribute, she will have renewed confidence in her ability to challenge once again at Bulle Rock. Webb was beaten by Se Ri Pak in a playoff two years ago and last year finished one behind Pettersen.

Webb said early today from the course �Obviously coming off last week�s good result gives me a lot of confidence and momentum coming into this week. I�m swinging it well and I just need those putts to drop like they did for the first couple of rounds last week.�

Webb also said �I have great memories of playing well here over the last couple of years, so I am looking forward to the week�.

Of course the chances do not stop there with the likes of two time 2008 winner, Paula Creamer, the improving Cristie Kerr and a host of Korea�s best all ready to challenge for the title. Kerr�s final round of 67 at the Ginn Tribute was eye-catching for those who fancy her chances in this week�s event.

Previous winner of this event, Se Ri Pak, a noted big event player, has claims after her better week last week in South Carolina, while two of the game�s most exciting rookies, Yani Tseng and Na Yeon Choi, could do well despite their relative inexperience at this level.

The field includes other Australians, Lindsey Wright, Rachel Hetherington, Katherine Hull, Wendy Doolan, Michelle Ellis, Sarah Kemp and Anna Rawson. Queenslander Sarah-Jane Kenyon anxiously awaits a start as second alternate on the list of those hoping for a last minute inclusion in the field.

Wright (pictured) produced something very special in this event last year when a brilliant final round of 6-under 66 saw her finish 4th. If anything Wright is playing even better in 2008, making the cut in every event this season and recording her best ever LPGA Tour finish � numerically at least - when 3rd at the Fields Open in February.

Wright said today �I�m really excited to be back at Bulle Rock. I had such a great time last year that I can�t wait to tee it up again on Thursday.� I played the course today and it is in fantastic condition. The key this week for me is to stay patient, hit fairways and greens.�

The tournament has prizemoney of US$2,000,000.

All four rounds of the McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola will be broadcast on Fox Sports commencing Friday morning (Australian time).

(Mt Pleasant, South Carolina)

Australia�s Karrie Webb, without a victory on the LPGA since November 2006, came agonisingly close to tasting victory at the Ginn Tribute Hosted by ANNIKA when she lost in a playoff to Korea�s World No.20 Seon Hwa Lee. Another Korean Song-Hee Kim finished in 3rd while runaway overnight leader, Sweden�s Sophie Gustafson finished in a tie for 4th with Jane Park.

Lee commenced the final round nine shots behind Gustafson, who had fired rounds of 66,65,67 to start the day with a six shot lead over Webb and Na Yeon Choi. Gustafson birdied the 1st and 3rd and it appeared that everyone else was playing for second. However, things started to go horribly wrong for the leader from the 4th and she proceeded to post 5 bogeys and 2 doubles over the last 15 holes to fall from contention.

Lee, playing in the penultimate group, drained a putt from 25-feet on the last hole in regulation to go to the clubhouse with a one-shot lead at 14-under par. Webb stood on the 18th tee knowing that she needed birdie to force a playoff. She duly obliged with a putt from 15-feet before both players headed back to the 18th tee to decide the winner. As has been the case all season, it was Webb�s putter that let her down as she three-putted from 25-feet to lose the playoff to Lee. Webb, referring to the 3-footer she missed in the playoff said afterwards, �That�s how I�ve putted all year. I putted poorly yesterday as well. There�s no excuse for missing that putt.�

Webb's runner-up finish earned her US$237,445 in the third richest event on the 2008 LPGA Tour. She moves to 8th place on the Official Money LIst whilst Lee's US$390,000 jumped her to 4th place.

Other than Webb, only two Australians made the cut, with Rachel Hetherington finishing at 4-under in a tie for 32nd while Lindsey Wright finished at 1-under to tie for 49th. All three players would have appreciated the four rounds in their warm up for this week�s major, the McDonald�s LPGA presented by Coca-Cola, to be played at Bulle rock Golf Course in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Webb, who will hopefully go one better than last year where she lost by one-shot to Norwegian Suzann Pettersen, will be joined in the 2nd major of the season by Australians Wendy Doolan, Michelle Ellis, Rachel Hetherington, Katherine Hull, Sarah Kemp and Lindsey Wright.

(Kingsmill Resort & Spa, Williamsburg, Virginia)

Katherine Hull recorded a rare double eagle / albatross on the 495 yard, par 5, seventh hole during the final round of the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill on Sunday. Hull used a 3 wood from 229 yards to become just the 29th player in LPGA Tour history and the first in 2008, to achieve such a feat.

The ' 2 ' helped Hull to a career best round of 7 under par 64, and best finish on the 2008 LPGA Tour, 6th place and US$ 74, 793.00