| Marisa Baena of Columbia kisses the winner's trophy after beating Menna Lee 1-up to win the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship Sunday, July 3, 2005 in Gladstone N.J.. Along with the trophy in the LPGA event, Baena won $500,000 |
Marisa Baena wins the inaugural HSBC Women's World Match Play tournament and takes the one-half million dollar first prize. She made a confident show at the start when she won the first hole. From there Meena Lee was always playing catch-up. Wins on holes 11 and 13 were crucial as Baena moved into a commanding position.
Lee came back one more time and cut the deficit. The match went to the 18th hole. But Baena's luck held and she wins a half-million dollars after winning just 30,000 last year.
"I played such good golf. I was able to hang in there when I was not doing well. I won and that is what we play golf for. I think I have always played golf to win. I was not able to do it. But finally I did it," Ms. Baena says.
And most importantly, she finally wins an LPGA tournament.
