European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 3, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 34 stars and stripes july 2007 no More 0fer Kerr wins open after failing 41 times to claim a major tourney by Joedy Mccreary the associated press Southern Gristle Kerr can finally Shes no longer Lorena Ochoa can Only look to her next Chance to snap her string of major Kerr Shook off 12 years Worth of frustration in Cool during a compelling on the Back nine of Pine Nee she stared Down the worlds 1 forcing her into e series of mistakes that resulted in a two stroke Victory Sun Day in the women theres a natural progression Between winning and winning a lot of tournaments and when Are you going to win a Kerr said after her 1under i definitely wanted to win one this because she finally snapped pestering ofor41 those nagging questions now fall to who was left to wait for the women British open at after haying trouble keeping her drives in the Ochoa fell to ofor23 in the four biggest events in women Ive been in worse it but i just did everything i Ochoa Kerr did she drilled an 18foot Birdie on the 14th Hole to take the then kept her composure As Ochoa fell apart Down the after kerrs Ochoa didst hit another Green in Kerr had just two bogeys Over her final 45 holes and had Only one three putt All week in claim ing her first open title at Pine where she has played Well in two previous she was High Amateur Here in 1996 and tied for fourth in i knew since the last time i came Here it was going to be my Ken when i stepped on the grounds this it was just Ochoa was left with a familiar with a Chance to capture her first major and remove any doubt about who the Best in her Ochoa struggled again with a Quick swing under pressure and failed to hit a Green in regulation Over the final five for you dont want to be of my in in the last in a major Champion in playing the maybe ill Ochoa if you think its no a 25yearold mexican Star in her fifth year As a shot 71 and shared second with Ange la an 18yearold Rookie who birdied the final Hole for a Morgan who won the seasons first the Kraft Nabisco in was two shots behind with five holes she played them 5 Over for a leaving the course in i just kind of lost especially coming Down at the Pressel it was just a there also were tears for she dropped to her Knees and cried after tapping in for Par on the final then tossed her Golf Ball to fans who had circled the Green and leaped into the arms of her Erik Kerr finished at 5under 279 and earned for her 10th career Chuck Cristie Kerr gets a hug from her Jason after winning the women open Golf championship at Southern its been a dream of mine since i was a Little she this one was All but decided on one of the toughest holes on the kerrs draw around the Dogleg left into the Fairway left her Only a 7iron to the Ochoa tried to Hammer Aji River Over the but the Ball nicked the leaves and fell into a knocked it out with a Ochoa caught her Fairway Metal heavy and moved it Only 60 hit a solid shot to 20 feet but missed the Par that gave Kerr a two shot Lead heading to the and she drilled another one right Down the then followed with an approach safely on the Green and a lag to 2 when i hit it up there i had known i had she it was hard to fight Back the because i had envisioned this since i was a Little everything Falls right for Hamlin this time the associated press despite everything that had kept him out of Victory Lane this Denny Hamlin was sure hed get there last years top Lascar Sextel cup Rookie had been Strong enough to rank second in the Driver standings before breaking through with a Victory sunday at new Hampshire International had How As pit mistakes and faulty fuel strategy kept Ham Lin from getting that elusive first we know we have a to five race car each and every time we hit the race Hamlin with a couple of Lucky Breaks Here and we can win a lot of we knew it was just a matter of who believes he needs victories to be a serious contender for his first cup was out thanks to a racing Roundup late race Gamble on a two tire but fou time series Champi on Jeff Gordon was looming close in his Hamlin was so nervous on those last two laps that his right foot was shaking on the Gas you see Jeff coming and youre trying your Best to not be the Guy who chokes at the Hamlin i was All Over the track those last two i was basically just trying not to give up the Bottom to Hamlin Hung beating these Ries Points Leader to the finish line by seconds less than a car length to earn his third Ca reer Victory and first since last july at for most of sundays it appeared Hamlin would fall Short with Martin Truex Gor Don and Trues Dale Earnhardt All running ahead of Hamlin late in the the leaders made their final scheduled pit stops on Lap 255 Dur ing a caution period and Hamlin was the Only one of the quartet to take Only two fresh tires instead of he vaulted from fourth to first and stayed out front to the end of the Lenox Industrial tools we were Back in sixth and seventh most of the Day and the Only shot we had was to get track Posi said who has seven top5s and 11 top los this you two tires worked for us earlier and we kind of made a note that anything inside of 120 laps to go we were going to do Hamlin has said Hes intent on winning races because the 12 Drivers who qualify for this years 10race Chase for the Champion ship will be with each Driver getting 10 extra Points for each Victory during the 26race regular Gordon and Hendrick motor sports teammate Jimmie who fourth in the have four victories i knew i didst want to Start too far behind the Hendrick As far As the Chase is because i know this Chase is going to come Down to 10 or 15 Hamlin i firmly be Lieve that and i think were not going to be Able to Start 50 or 60 Points behind and catch up with out them having Champ car at Montrem Rookie Robert Doornbos drove to his first career Victory in the inaugural Champ car giving him four to three finishes in six Doornbos took advantage of numerous mistakes and misfortunes that befell the rest of the pack on the Road course to give Minardi team Usa its first series Doornbos and three time defending Champ car Champion Sebastian Bourdais Are tied atop the Driver standings with 145 Golf Roundup Bateman Buick win a boost for his Kitchen the associated press grand Brian Bateman enjoys relaxing with his pregnant wife at their new where he Cooks about four nights a while collect ing Cook books and what does he plan to do with the Check he earned Sun Day by winning the Buick his first title on the pea tour ill invest in a few pots and he before describing himself As a simple Bateman said he has been a tremendous underachiever during his six seasons on the he came to Warwick Hills 204th on the Money list and be came the improbable Winner with a Birdie on the final Hole that broke a fou Way i feel a lot better now about my Bateman his Best finish previously was third before he closed with a 3underpar 69 to finish 15under 273 and win by a shot with the highest winning score at War Wick Hills since a perfect drive and approach at 18 the tournaments third toughest Hole set up a 12footer that kept him out of a earned him a two year tour exemption and an invitation to the 2008 Ive been out Here for six years and Ive Only played in one said referring to the 2004 pea Ive been close to playing at a the 34yearold native and Resi Dent of earned a Check that surpassed his total earnings in All but one of his Previ Ous five years on the pea he made just More than in when he finished a Ca re Erbest 86th on the Money Hes 59th in earnings this its a life changing he a life changing Bateman Victory came in his 151st pea tour every player from Tiger Woods to Brian Bateman has to win their first he Bateman chances of winning were boosted when Woods and Singh didst make their usual who Home with his wife and and who is resting a sore had combined to win four of the previous five Jason Gore Justin Leonard 67 and Woody Austin 69 were at 274 and Jim Furyk 70 and Scott Verplank 71 were among five players at champions tour at East Lonnie who didst win in five years on the pea tour and made 91 starts on the senior tour without win shot a 2under 69 for a two stroke Victory Over Loren Roberts in the Commerce Bank