LPGA event to finish today

ASSOCIATED PRESS

RICHMOND, Texas — Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin will settle their duel for LPGA Tour player of the year on the final, frantic day of the season.

Kristy McPherson finished off a 5-under 67 in fading sunlight Sunday to move to 8 under and take the lead in the LPGA Tour Championship before the second round was suspended because of darkness.

Shin was one stroke back with two holes to play in her second round; Ochoa was two back with one hole left. Players will resume the second round this morning, and the top 70 and ties will immediately begin the final round.

For Ochoa to win her fourth straight player of the year title, she must win or finish no worse than third and then hope Shin places out of the top 10. The two are also decimal points apart in the race for the Vare Trophy, awarded for the season’s lowest scoring average.

“Tomorrow, everything will be answered,” Ochoa said. “I am very excited, yes.”

Shin is trying to become the first player since Nancy Lopez in 1978 to sweep the money title, rookie and player of the year and the Vare Trophy.

“I have a good shot at it,” Shin said. “It’s going to be very close. It will be the most important day of my life.”

The 28-year-old McPherson is just looking for her first LPGA Tour victory. She picked up five birdies without a bogey in her second round after a 69 on Thursday.

She’s one of the few players who completed two rounds without interruption.

So far, the weather has been the major story of the tournament.

Heavy rain swamped the Houstonian Golf and Country Club on Friday and Saturday, forcing organizers to cut the event to 54 holes. The fairways were still water-logged Sunday, so players were allowed to lift, clean and place.

Dubai World Championship

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Lee Westwood of England became Europe’s No. 1 golfer after winning the Dubai World Championship by six strokes.

Westwood shot a course-record 8-under 64 in the final round at the Earth Course to finish at 23-under 265.

He earned $1.25 million with the 31st victory of his career to overtake Rory McIlroy on the season-long money list and win the European Tour’s first Race to Dubai since it changed from the European Order of Merit.

Ross McGowan of England was second after a 68, and McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, shot a 67 to finish third on 273.

The 36-year-old Westwood’s $1.5 million bonus for finishing atop the money list took his total European Tour earnings to $6,376,984.