Teske tops Sorenstam in playoff for 3rd time

The Australian is now 3-1 against the Swede all time.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
VIENNA -- When Rachel Teske is playing well she doesn't worry about anyone or anything, not even the No. 1 woman's player in the world, Annika Sorenstam.
Teske went head-to-head with Sorenstam, Lori Kane and Jennifer Rosales in a three-hole sudden-death playoff Sunday to win the 2003 Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Squaw Creek Country Club.
It marked the fourth time the Queensland, Australia pro had won an LPGA title in a playoff and it was the third time that she had defeated Sorenstam in a playoff.
Teske, who sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to win on Sunday, said that she was not really concerned about who she was playing against.
"I feel that when I'm playing as well as I can I can play with anyone," Teske said.
The 31-year-old, who has been on tour since 1997, has seven LPGA victories and career earnings of nearly $3 million.
Other playoff wins
Besides Sunday, she had beaten Sorenstam in 1998 in a one-hole playoff at the First Union Betsy King Classic, her first tour win.
She also beat Sorenstam last season on the second hole of a playoff at the Ping Banner Health event. Her only playoff loss also came against Sorenstam in 2000 on the second hole at the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic.
A week ago Teske had her best finish this season when she finished third at the McDonald's LPGA Championship, behind Sorenstam and Grace Park. Prior to that she had struggled, missing four cuts and a best finish of tie for 20th at the Safeway Ping event.
"I've spent a lot of time and hard work on my game recently," Teske said. "I've watched a lot of video of my swing and worked on some changes. It's starting to pay off well."
Eighth tourney playoff
Playoffs have been nothing unusual for the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic as this was the eighth in the 14-year history of the tournament.
It wasn't the first time there was a four-way playoff and the three holes wasn't the longest,
In 1992, at Squaw Creek in the final year of the Phar-Mor in Youngstown event, Betsy King defeated Beth Daniel, Donna Andrews and Meg Mallon on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
In 1997 Tammie Green defeated Laura Davies in a five-hole sudden-death playoff, which is the longest in the tournament's history.
There were playoffs the first four years of this event, from 1990 through 1993, then again in 1995, 1997 and the previous one in 2000, when Dorothy Delasin defeated Pat Hurst on the second hole. The 1995 playoff won by Michelle McGann over Katie Peterson-Parker also went three holes.