Dunn's long wait is over

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
VIENNA -- After 10 years and 242 LPGA tournaments, Moira Dunn wasn't sure if the time ever would come for her to stand in the winner's circle.
Sunday afternoon at Squaw Creek Country Club, all that changed for the 32-year-old native of Utica, N.Y., who made a strong charge on the final four holes and walked off with the $150,000 winner's check at the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic.
Dunn, who joined the LPGA Tour in 1995, became the third player to make the Giant Eagle event her first championship, joining Jackie Gallagher-Smith (1999) and Dorothy Delasin (2000).
Dunn, who started the day at 5-under-par and one shot behind the leaders, fashioned a 7-under-par 65, which was the low round of the tournament and gave her a 12-under-par 204 total and a two-shot victory over runner-up Young-A Yang of Seoul, South Korea.
Strong finish
Dunn, who now resides in Tampa, Fla., blistered the final nine holes at Squaw Creek, making five birdies over the final seven holes and three of the final four.
She even had to endure a rain delay of almost three hours over the final nine holes, but even that didn't slow her down.
"It's been a long time coming," said Dunn. "I always believed it would come, but I just didn't think it would take this long."
Dunn trailed Yang by one shot as the rain delay began, but came back to birdie three straight holes from 15 through 17 and took a two-shot lead to the final hole.
"That was huge to have the two-shot margin going to 18," she said. "Then I hit the fairway on 18 and got it on the green and the walk down the 18 fairway became very exciting."
Dunn two-putted from about 25 feet, almost holing the first putt to clinch the victory.
Yang had a 68
Yang, who had a final round 4-under 68 and finished at 10-under 206, said that she was pretty relaxed after the rain delay.
"I had a birdie when I came back out and I felt good after that. Some shots I thought were going to be good, but they came up short and I left myself long putts," said Yang who entered the final round tied for the lead.
Leta Lindley of Carlsbad, Calif., finished in third place at 9-under par. She fired a final round of 6-under 66 and was at 207.
Laura Diaz of Amelia Island, Fla., was fourth at 208, 8-under after a final round of 69, while Michelle Estill of Scottsdale, Ariz., who shared the second round lead with Yang, finished fifth at 209, 7-under after a final round 71.
Tour rookie Katherine Hull, who opened the tournament with a 4-over-par 76, continued to battle back and finished in sixth place. She shot 66 and 68 her final two rounds to finish at 210, 6-under for the tournament.
Career-best finish
Catherine Cartwright of Bonita Springs, Fla., had her career best finish in this tournament, tying for seventh place with Anna Acker-Macosko of Marshfield, Wis. Cartwright finished with a 67 and Acker-Macosko had 69 for 211 totals.
Tammie Green, a two-time champion of this tournament, shot 2-under 70 in the final round to tie for 11th place at 214.
The only other former champion to survive the cut was Gallagher-Smith, who finished at 216 (even par), tied for 29th place.
First-round leader Gloria Park, who opened with a 6-under 66, had rounds of 76 and 74 to finish at 216.
mollica@vindy.com