Golf: Davies lives dangerously to ride out the storm

LAURA DAVIES yesterday survived the ordeal of a 63-minute suspension of play because of lightning to achieve her first LPGA victory for 20 months as she won the McDonald's Championship at Dupont Country Club, writes Liz Kahn from Wilmington, Delaware.

Her final 69, and seven-under-par total of 277, put her one in front of Sherri Steinhauer and two ahead of the Swedish professional, Helen Alfredsson, who tied with Lauri Merten. Davies, one ahead at the 72nd hole, lived dangerously when her six-iron to the green was buried in the wet rough and she chipped to 10 feet. With tremendous courage she sent the ball straight in for her fifth LPGA victory and the fourth by a European in 10 LPGA tournaments this season.

It was a magnificent effort for Davies to be at the top of the leaderboard after every round and then survive not only the pressure of a bunched-up field chasing her on the final day but also the interruption of her momentum for the storm delay.

Play was suspended when Davies was one ahead and had just launched a huge drive at the long 16th. On resumption, the British golfer scrambled for a par five from the bunker. 'This is the one I wanted to win,' Davies said. 'I'm over the moon.'