Karrie Webb Wins ShopRite LPGA Classic

Galloway Township provided a spectacular stage for an international audience on Sunday (June 2) as Australian Karrie Webb won the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

The women's professional golf tournament was played on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club for the 15th time. The tournament began as the Atlantic City Classic at Seaview in 1986 (and had a run at Greate Bay Country Club in Somers Point).

The top 13 finishers included the Australian winner, a runner-up from China, four South Koreans, two Americans, two Japanese, one Paraguayan and one Swede.

The diversity of the field showcased the growing popularity of golf worldwide, and Seaview's Bay Course was equal to the international attention.

The century-old Donald Ross links course on the marshes overlooking the Atlantic City skyline was wide open to blustery south winds on Sunday for the final round, and only 13 golfers broke par.

Webb, who has won 38 times on the LPGA tour, used her experience to score 3 under par in her final round and win the 54-hole tournament at 4 under. The 38-year-old Australian took home $225,000 from the $1.5 million event.

Vying for China's first win in an LPGA event, Shanshan Feng held a five-stroke lead over Webb in the early holes, but the 23-year-old finished at 4 over par for the day. She finished in second place at 2 under par for the tournament.

Playing in the final group, Feng birdied the 16th hole to pull within one shot of Webb (who had just finished with a birdie of her own on the 18th). But a strong gust of wind knocked down a solid tee shot on the par-3 17th and left it in a sand trap. Feng bogeyed the 17th and couldn't make up the ground with only one hole to play.

The ShopRite LPGA Classic is sponsored by the Wakefern Food Corporation and has raised more than $25 million for local charities in its history.

The event attracts thousands of spectators from throughout the Mid-Atlantic states and it draws a massive volunteer effort from the local community.

For more information on the tournament and the leaderboard, visit shopritelpgaclassic.com.