Laura Davies captures title with final round surge

ENGLAND'S Laura Davies shot a superb final round to claim victory at the New Zealand Women's Open in Christchurch.

Overnight leader Sarah Kemp could not match Davies' four-under-par round of 68 as she ended the tournament two shots behind her rival.

The Australian ended up in a share of second with Norway's Marianne Skarpnord and Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg, who shot a magnificent course record round of 63.

Kemp, holding the lead going into the final day of a Tour tournament for the first time, had started the day in positive fashion with a birdie at the first, one of three on the front nine.

But bogeys at the 11th and 14th proved costly as Davies knocked in her third and fourth birdies of the day at the 12th and 16th to seal her win.

Davies believed her birdie at the 16th was key to her victory, saying it was a "crucial putt" as it allowed her to adopt a conservative strategy on the final hole.

She said: "I was happy to make par at the last and if she (Kemp] was good enough to eagle then we would go to a play-off."

Elsewhere, Ai Miyazato continued her superb start to the LPGA Tour season after carding a three-under-par 69 to win the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore.

The 24-year-old won the season-opening Honda PTT LPGA Thailand last weekend and added a third career title to become the first player for 44 years to win the first two events of a season and the first Japanese woman to win consecutive tour titles.

Miyazato began the day in a share of the lead with America's Juli Inkster but started badly with successive bogeys. She recovered with birdies on the fourth and fifth before picking up a shot on the ninth to reach the turn at one under.

Miyazato then dropped a shot on the 10th but four more birdies against just one bogey coming home was enough to secure the win at Tanah Merah Country Club by two shots.

Former US Open winner Cristie Kerr finished second following a four-under-par 68 while 2009 winner Shin Jiyai shot a five-under 67 to claim a share of third alongside South Korean compatriot Kim Song-hee (67) and Yani Tseng (69) of Chinese Taipei.

Michelle Wie tied 15th following a two under 70 while Lorena Ochoa fired a 72 to conclude a disappointing tournament for the world number one as she finished tied for 38th.

Meanwhile, on the PGA Tour Brandt Snedeker posted a five-under-par 66 to take the lead of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at the end of the third round in Scottsdale.

The American carded his sixth birdie of the day on the par-4 17th to take sole leadership on 14-under, a stroke ahead of compatriot Scott Piercy who shot a 65 on Saturday. In an American-dominated leaderboard Matt Every and 21-year-old Rickie Fowler were tied for third on 12 under.