PAK wins Farr for third time in four years

SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) _ Maria Hjorth made one bad shot. That was all the opening Se Ri Pak needed. <br><br>Hjorth shot a 7-under-par 64, but Pak birdied the last two holes Sunday to win the Jamie Farr Kroger

Monday, July 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) _ Maria Hjorth made one bad shot. That was all the opening Se Ri Pak needed.

Hjorth shot a 7-under-par 64, but Pak birdied the last two holes Sunday to win the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic for the third time in four years.

``One week hopefully it'll be my week,'' Hjorth said after she finished in the top three for the sixth time in her last seven tournaments. ``It just seems lately that there's always someone playing a little bit better than me.''

Pak always seems to be better than everyone at Highland Meadows Golf Club. In her 16 competitive rounds at the course she is 54 under par. In addition to winning in 1998 and 1999, she was third a year ago _ a shot out of the playoff between eventual winner Annika Sorenstam and Rachel Teske.

``I really like the golf course, town and the tournament,'' Pak said after her third LPGA victory of the season. ``There's nothing more I can say.''

Pak finished at 15-under 269, closing with a 3-under 68 after rounds of 70, 62 and 69. She earned $150,000.

Marnie McGuire shot a 65 to share third place with Edmond, Okla., resident Heather Bowie, who closed with a 68. They were both at 273. Meg Mallon, Kris Tschetter, Moira Dunn and Laura Diaz followed at 274.

It was the ninth time Pak has led or shared the lead heading into the final round in her four years on the LPGA tour. She has held on to win eight times.

Pak started the day with a four-stroke lead but strung together 11 pars before rolling in a 10-foot birdie putt at the 12th. Then she hit her approach to 6 feet at No. 13 and holed the birdie putt.

She bogeyed the par-4 15th to fall back into a tie with Hjorth _ who had birdied six holes in an eight-hole span _ after hooking her drive into the trees.

Hjorth, however, let a prime opportunity slip away.

``I played so well,'' the Swede said. ``I hit one bad shot the whole day.''

On the 17th, rated the easiest hole on the course, the long-hitting Hjorth found the rough off the tee and came up well short of the green with her second shot on the 513-yard, par-5 hole. Her sand wedge from 104 yards ended up short of the sand trap fronting the green. She was unable to get up and down from there, missing a 4-footer for par.

Even Pak was surprised when, after she finished her round, she saw that Hjorth had bogeyed the 17th.

``I thought it would be easy birdies for her on the last two holes,'' Pak said.

She was half right. Now trailing by a shot, Hjorth hit her wedge on the par-5 18th to 3 feet. The ensuing birdie evened things once again.

Pak countered almost immediately at the 17th. Also a long hitter, Pak's second shot came up just short of the green. She ran her chip to 3 feet and made the birdie putt to regain the lead.

``I knew I didn't have too many holes to go,'' Pak said. ``The 17th and 18th holes are opportunities to pick up extra shots.''

The 25-year-old South Korean closed it out on the final hole, hitting a big drive and a perfect fairway wood before knocking a wedge shot to 8 feet and dropping her birdie putt in the heart of the cup.

Hjorth's closing 64 left her at 13-under 271.

``I'm playing great,'' she said. ``I can't be disappointed at all. If I finished second every week I wouldn't be disappointed.''

Mi Hyun Kim bogeyed her first hole but had 10 birdies in the last 13 holes to shoot a 62 that put her in a five-way tie at 276. The 62 was one off the course record set three years ago by _ who else? _ Pak.

``It's a lovely, great wonderful city,'' Pak said. ``I feel comfortable here. I have real good memories of the golf course and the town.''