Cristie Kerr is amazing herself these days. "It astounds me that I just keep getting better," Kerr said Sunday after making clutch par putts on the final two holes to win the Wendy's Championship for Children.
Annika Sorenstam and Paula Creamer came up just short and Pat Hurst blew the final hole as Kerr won for the second time this year, and sixth overall.
"I'm going to keep believing in myself," Kerr said, after her 3-under 69 left her at 18-under 270 _ a shot in front of Sorenstam and Creamer.
"Look at Annika," Kerr said. "When she was winning two or three tournaments a year, people were like, well, how much better can she get? And look what she's shown us. I think, why can't I do that?"
Moments after clinching the win, Kerr was announced as No. 1 on the points list for the U.S. Solheim Cup team. She will be joined by Creamer and Hurst _ and will be playing against Sorenstam _ at the biennial competition with Europe on Sept. 9-11 at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind.
Others earning a spot on the U.S. team included Laura Diaz, Natalie Gulbis, Juli Inkster, Rosie Jones, Christina Kim, Meg Mallon and Michele Redman. Nancy Lopez's two captain's picks were Hall of Famer Beth Daniels and Wendy Ward.
Kerr parred the 17th to remain in front, hitting a 10-foot par putt after chipping past the pin from over the green.
"That's about as big a putt as you can make to save par," Kerr said.
Hurst shared the lead with Kerr as she stepped to the final tee. But her drive was far to the right and ended up in a ditch lined with trees. Taking an unplayable lie, she took four drops _ the first three were not within the allotted two club-lengths from where the ball went in the trees. Her fourth drop hit on the back edge of the wooden tee she stuck in the ground to mark the drop distance and caromed back deeper into the overhanging bushes and trees.
Hurst punched out into a trap and then hit her fourth shot to the right fringe on the par-4 18th, two-putting from 60 feet.
"I'm not going to dwell on it," Hurst said, her daughter standing nearby in a USA cheerleader outfit. "I'll move on. What can I do? You can't go back."
The U.S. Solheim team was taking a bus immediately after the tournament to go to Indiana for another practice round Monday.
Kerr, playing in the group directly behind her, drove into the fairway on 18 and hit her iron approach about 30 feet from the pin. Her first putt came up 4 feet short, leaving her a slippery downhill putt to win the tournament. After nailing the putt, she pumped her fist.
Asked if she had staked a claim as America's top pro, Kerr said, "I can tell you my Mom probably thinks that, and my Dad."
Hurst's closing 70 left her at 272 and tied with Jeong Jang, who closed with a 67. Karrie Webb (70) and Soo-Yun Kang (72) were at 273, with Michele Redman alone at 274 after a 72. U.S. Women's Amateur champion Morgan Pressel finished with a 70 and was at 278.
Creamer, who clinched the LPGA rookie of the year award, began the day with a one-stroke lead over Kerr and Kang. Kerr pulled even by hitting a 5 1/2-foot birdie putt on the par-4 second hole.
Kerr and Creamer, playing in the same threesome with Kang, continued in a stalemate for the next eight holes until Kerr strung together three straight birdies on Nos. 11-13.
"I never really got a rhythm going from the beginning," said Creamer, who had to overcome two bogeys to shoot 71.
Kang was upset Kerr played so slowly, deliberating with her caddie on almost every shot.
"I wish we'd have been on the clock," said Kang, who said she was a fast player. "I wanted her to pick it up, but I didn't want to bother her because she was playing well."
Sorenstam began the day five shots off the lead but made things interesting. She had birdies at the 15th and 18th holes and came close to running in birdie putts on the two holes in between in her 66.
"I came from far behind today," Sorenstam said. "I did not really expect anything, especially when you see people like Paula and Cristie up there. They're winners. They've done this before."
Cristie Kerr is amazing herself these days. "It astounds me that I just keep getting better," Kerr said Sunday after making clutch par putts on the final two holes to win the Wendy's Championship for Children.