Park Defeats Webb in Match Play

Friday, November 1st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NARITA, Japan (AP) _ Australian star Karrie Webb joined Annika Sorenstam and Se Ri Pak on the sidelines Friday, losing her second-round match in the World Ladies Match Play Championship.

South Korea's Grace Park, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, beat Webb 1-up in wet conditions on the Narita Golf Club course. A day earlier, Sorenstam and Pak lost their first-round matches.

``It was really tough out there with the rain,'' Park said. ``I played a solid round. I didn't make a lot of birdies, but enough to win. I just tried to take advantage of Karrie's mistakes.''

Park took a one-hole lead when Webb bogeyed the 14th hole, and extended the margin with a birdie on the 15th.

Webb made a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to stay alive, but the match ended on No. 18 when Webb's putt from the edge of the green went past the hole. Park's second shot on the 18th landed 20 feet from the hole, and her birdie putt stopped inches from the hole.

``I made some mistakes after the turn and you can't do that in match play,'' Webb said. ``On my last putt I didn't want to leave it short, but I had a little too much pace on it.''

Park advanced to a quarterfinal match Saturday against Yuri Fudoh, the top-ranked Japanese tour player who beat Australia's Rachel Teske 3 and 1.

In the other lower-bracket quarterfinal, Sweden's Carin Koch will face Michele Redman. Koch beat Scotland's Catriona Matthew 5 and 3, and Redman defeated Japan's Takayo Bandoh 4 and 3.

Rosie Jones advanced in the upper bracket, beating Chieko Amanuma 5 and 4 a day after the Japanese player upset Sorenstam.

``I putted well and only got into trouble on two holes,'' Jones said. ``I think Chieko was surprised that she beat Annika, but I'm just glad she took care of her for me.''

Jones will face South Korea's Hee Won-han, a 3-and-2 winner over Laura Diaz.

Kelly Robins will play Japan's Midori Yoneyama in the other upper-bracket quarterfinal. Robbins beat Cristie Kerr 1-up, and Yoneyama edged Canada's Lorie Kane 1-up.