Internationals win Lexus Cup in Sorenstam swansong

SINGAPORE (AFP) - American Cristina Kim birdied the last to hand the Internationals a nailbiting 12.5/11.5 win over Asia at the Lexus Cup Sunday and give Annika Sorenstam a fitting send-off into retirement.
Going into Sunday's singles at the year-ending LPGA event, the two teams were locked at 6-6 and it remained tight throughout the day, coming down to the final hole.
With the other players safely home, Japan's Namika Omata and the larger-than-life Kim found themselves at the 18th with the Internationals needing half a point to win and avenge their 15-9 drubbing last year.
Both players safely made the green, with Kim having two putts to halve the hole and hand victory to her team, which she calmly did.
Sorenstam, playing her last ever round of LPGA golf before calling it quits, was first out against Asian captain and long-time rival Pak Se-Ri and set the tone for her team.Bogeys at the opening two holes put Pak on the back foot and she never recovered, eventually crashing 3 and 2 as Sorenstam sunk birdies on the 13th, 14th and 15th.
It was a glorious personal finale to Sorenstam's LPGA career but less memorable for Pak who failed to win any of her three matches at the tournament.