Christina Kim gave Annika Sorenstam a big victory in her second-to-last event before retiring, birdieing the par-5 18th Sunday for a halve and the deciding half-point for the International team in the Lexus Cup.
Kim’s halve with Namika Omata in the last match to finish gave the Sorenstam-captained International team a 12 1/2 -11 1/2 victory over Asia. The International side evened the series at 2-2 after losing the last two years.
“I’m amazed it came down to my match,” Kim said. “To win for Annika’s final Lexus Cup fills me with so much emotion.”
Sorenstam won the opening match, waiting out a lightning delay to finish off Asian captain Se Ri Pak 3 and 2. Sorenstam will end her Hall of Fame career next week in the Ladies European Tour’s Dubai Ladies Masters.
“It’s been so close all week,” Sorenstam said. “It feels good to get the Cup back. … It’s been 15 years of great experiences. I’m going to miss a lot of it.”
Angela Stanford, Katherine Hull, Helen Alfredsson and Natalie Gulbis also earned full points, while Suzann Pettersen and Karen Stupples halved their matches.
Stanford beat Seon Hwa Lee 4 and 3, Lee’s second straight loss after opening her Lexus Cup career 7-0-0. Hull edged Jeong Jang 1-up to finish the week 3-0-0, Alfredsson topped Inbee Park 3 and 2, and Gulbis beat Mayumi Shimomura 2 and 1.
Pettersen halved with Yani Tseng, and Stupples split with Eun Hee Ji.
Candie Kung won her third straight match for Asia, and Sarah Lee, Na Yeon Choi and Song Hee Kim also took their singles matches.
Kung beat Nikki Campbell 3 and 2, Sarah Lee edged Nicole Castrale 1-up, Choi beat Paula Creamer 3 and 2, and Song Hee Kim topped Cristie Kerr 1-up.
The teams were tied after each of the first two days, splitting the opening alternate-shot matches and Saturday best-ball matches.
Asia won 15-9 last year at The Vines in Perth, Australia, for its second straight victory. The International team won the inaugural matches 16-8 in 2005 at Tenah Merah in Singapore, and Asia won 12 1/2 -11 1/2 at Tenah Merah in 2006.
