International team wins Lexus Cup

Nov 30, 2008 - 3:01 PM SINGAPORE (Ticker) -- The International team secured victory at the Lexus Cup for the first time in three years, edging Team Asia 12 1/2 to 11 1/2 after a tense final day at Singapore Island Country Club on Sunday.

The two teams were deadlocked at 6-6 after splitting the foursomes and fourball matches on the first two days on the Bukit Course, and there was little to choose between the two sides during the singles matches until American Christina Kim halved her match with Japan's Namika Omata to secure the decisive point for the International squad.

The Asians held a narrow edge, leading in six matches and all square in one when a thunderstorm interrupted play for 90 minutes in the afternoon.

Upon resumption, Annika Sorenstam beat Pak Se-ri 3 and 2 in the opening match between the two captains and Helen Alfredsson downed Park Inbee by the same score to give the International team an 8-6 lead.

But Sarah Lee got a birdie on her penultimate hole for a 1up win over Nicole Castrale, Choi Na-yeon beat Paula Creamer 3 and 2 and Kim Song-hee defeated Cristie Kerr 1up with a birdie on the final green to put Team Asia back in front.

Suzann Pettersen and Karen Stupples salvaged halves in their matches against Tseng Yani and Ji Eun-hee, respectively, and those half-points would prove crucial as Natalie Gulbis defeated Mayumi Shimomura 2 and 1, Katherine Hull beat Jang Jeong 1up and Angela Stanford trounced Lee Seon-hwa 4 and 3 to give the Internationals a 12-10 lead.

With Candie Kung beating Nikki Campbell 3 and 2 to cut the advantage to 12-11, it all came down to the final match between Omata and Kim, which swung back and forth for much of the day.

But with both players picking up birdies at the final hole, Kim was able to secure an invaluable half for her side, clinching their first Lexus Cup title since the inaugural event in 2005.