A Mother's Day gift for Hurst

FRANKLIN, MAY 15. The anticipated duel with Karrie Webb never materialised, so Pat Hurst gave herself a nice mother's day gift as well as an early birthday present. Hurst on Sunday became the fourth player on the LPGA tour this season to lead from wire-to- wire, pulling away for a four-stroke triumph at the $800,000 Electrolux USA golf Championship. Eleven months after giving birth to her first child, Hurst shot a 2-under-par 70 for a four- round total of 13-under 275 at the Legends Club of Tennessee.

Webb is the only other player to lead after all four rounds of an LPGA event this year, but she never challenged after starting the afternoon just two strokes off the lead.

``Yes, I'm surprised she didn't make a bigger charge,'' Hurst said. Hurst, who turns 31 on May 23, recorded her third career victory and first since the 1998 Nabisco Dinah Shore.

``Nothing could be better right now,'' she beamed after closing with birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. ``To win on my first mother's day, I'm never going to have another first like that.''

The 120,000 first prize nearly doubled Hurst's 2000 earnings to 255,220.

``It wasn't easy this time. I felt more in control at the Dinah,'' she said. ``I guess because I grew up in that area, I had a lot of friends and family and I felt really comfortable. ``This felt really tough. Walking to the 18th tee, I told my caddie that I kind of like coming from behind more - having that putt on 18 to tie and go into a playoff or something. Having a lead is tough, but we pulled through.''

Inkster, a Hall of fame, birdied the 18th hole to cap a 3-under 69 and grabbed sole possession of second place at 279. Michele Redman, Michelle McGann and Wendy Doolan tied for third at 8- under 280, while Webb and Cindy Figg-Currier were six shots behind Hurst.

- Reuters

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Section  : Sport
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