LPGA Mallon steals spotlight

She edged the world's greatest player in the season-ending event.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Holding a three-stroke lead and winning the fight against illness, jet lag and burnout, Annika Sorenstam was heading toward a great ending to the season she dominated.
Meg Mallon had a fantastic finish of her own in mind.
Mallon outplayed Sorenstam over the final nine holes Sunday and took advantage of a rare mistake by the world's best player to beat her by one stroke in the season-ending ADT Championship.
"I told you. Anything's possible on any given day," Mallon said after finishing at 7-under-par 281.
Perspective
That Mallon, a three-time major winner with 15 overall victories, could make five birdies over the back nine and put together a closing round of 5-under-par 67 wasn't a shock.
But overtaking Sorenstam? After trailing her by three strokes coming into the day? That's quite an accomplishment, especially the way it went down over the final dramatic hour at Trump International Golf Club.
"You get a burr in your side" after continually hearing Sorenstam is unbeatable, Mallon said. "But you know there's something you can do about it: Play better."
Trailing by one going into the par-3 17th waterfall hole, Mallon hit a safe shot over the water to 15 feet, then made the birdie putt and pumped her fist after pulling into a tie at 7 under.
She played the 18th hole safely at par, and hung out at the scorer's tent while waiting for Sorenstam, who was one group behind.
Mallon said she fully expected a playoff. But she got a surprise when Sorenstam made an uncharacteristic shot for a player so accustomed to pressure, hooking her tee shot on 18 into the deep, gnarly rough.
"I hit a little draw," Sorenstam explained.
Needing par
She hacked her second shot out from the buried lie, and had to get up and down to save par and force a playoff. But the approach went to only about 12 feet and her aggressive, uphill putt slipped past the hole, prompting her to give a frustrated underhanded wave at the ball.
The bogey ruined Sorenstam's chances for a storybook ending to her incredible season, which included a history-making appearance at the PGA Tour's Colonial, six wins on the LPGA Tour and her sixth Player of the Year award.
Playing in the final twosome with Sorenstam, Cristie Kerr challenged briefly, but shot 71 to finish four strokes behind Mallon. At 1 under, Beth Daniel (72) joined Mallon, Sorenstam and Kerr as the only other player to break par in the field comprised of the top 30 on the money list.