1993 IN REVIEW Lopez outlasts Richard in playoff

The queen of women's golf knocked in a 25-foot eagle putt on the 54th hole to tie, and then won the title on the first playoff hole.
HOWLAND -- Nancy Lopez, the queen of women's golf, made a spectacular 25-foot putt from the back fringe on the 54th and final hole of the competition for an eagle-3 to force a playoff with Deb Richard and then won on the first hole a sudden-death playoff on that same 18th hole.
Both Lopez and Richard finished at 13-under-par 203.
Lopez walked off with the $75,000 first-place check as she won for the 47th time in her LPGA career.
It was the seventh time in 13 tries of the Hall of Fame career that she has won in a playoff.
Richard, who took the second-place check of $46,546, held a two-shot lead coming to the 18th tee when Lopez hit a big drive and then put a 3-iron onto the back fringe and made the putt to force the playoff.
Richard hit her tee shot into the fairway bunker on the playoff hole and then put her second shot into more trouble and struggled to the green.
There she watched Lopez two-putt for the victory.
Hall of Famer Pat Bradley, Deborah McHaffie, Hollis Stacy and Missie McGeorge all tied for third place at 12-under-par 204.
First round
McGeorge, an 11-year veteran, took the first round lead on Friday with a 7-under-par 65 and a one-shot lead over four others: Karen Lunn, Ayako Okamoto, Vicki Fergon and Dottie Mochrie.
McGeorge, who previously had never been in the sole lead, made nine birdies and an eagle to offset four bogies on a day that saw 54 golfers better par of 72.
Lunn, a LPGA rookie from London, England, fired a second-round 4-under-par 68 and moved into a tie with first-round leader McGeorge after 36 holes.
The two golfers were at 10-under par 134, but only two shots ahead of Lopez, who had fashioned her second straight 4-under-par 68.
Also tied with Lopez at 136 were Lisa Kiggens, Deb Richard and Kathy Guadagnino.
It took a score of 144 (even-par) or better to survive the cutoff for the final 18 holes and 79 players survived.
The 144 score was the second lowest cut on the tour during 1993.
Final round
Of the six leaders going into the final round, four of them managed to stay in contention right up until the end.
Only Kiggens, who shot a final round 75, and Guadagnino, who closed with a 73, fell out of contention early.
While Lopez and Richard made up the two shots on McGeorge and Lunn pretty early in the round, it wasn't until a double-bogey at the 17th hole that Lunn fell out of contention.
McHaffie, who had a final round 65, one of three 7-under-round on the day, missed a 4-foot birdie putt on 18 that would have tied her for the lead.
Bradley and Donna Andrews had the other 7-under-rounds on Sunday.