Kerr Captures Safeway Classic

Cristie Kerr sank a downhill 20-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Helen Alfredsson and Sophie Gustafson and win the Safeway Classic. The LPGA Tour event was held at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Ore.

Kerr closed with a 7-under 65 on the 6,397-yard course to tie Alfredsson (69) and Gustafson (68) at 13-under-par 203 in the 54-hole tournament. On the first playoff hole, the 18th, Alfredsson and Gustafson missed their birdie attempts but Kerr came through in the clutch.

"I said to myself, 'Get in the fairway, get on the green and give yourself a chance, because putting is what I do best,' " Kerr said of her strategy on the sudden-death overtime hole.

The victory was Kerr's 11th on the LPGA Tour; her previous win was the 2007 U.S. Women's Open.

"Just amazing," said Kerr, who earned $255,000 for the victory. "Words can't describe it. It's great. Last year here at Columbia-Edgewater I said I wanted to win it. It's unbelievable."

She added, "I played great yesterday and today. I putted pretty poorly the first round. I figured out something about the greens and about my stroke. I knew if I posted a number I'd be hard to beat."

Last week's Canadian Women's Open winner Katherine Hull shot a 5-under 67 and finished fourth at minus-11, one shot better than Hee-Won Han, who fired a 6-under 66 on Sunday.

World No. 1 and 2007 Safeway Classic champion Lorena Ochoa (70), Annika Sorenstam (69), Paula Creamer (72), Angela Park (70) and Catriona Matthew (70) shared sixth place at 7-under 209.