Big XII golf-womens

RHODES, Iowa (AP) _ Maria Boden sank a 20-foot birdie putt to win the individual title and lead Oklahoma State to the team championship Wednesday in the Big 12 women's golf tournament. <br><br>Boden

Thursday, April 26th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

RHODES, Iowa (AP) _ Maria Boden sank a 20-foot birdie putt to win the individual title and lead Oklahoma State to the team championship Wednesday in the Big 12 women's golf tournament.

Boden beat Missouri's Amelia Moses and Oklahoma's Lisa Meldrum on the first hole of a playoff after they finished the 54-hole tournament at 227.

Playing the par-4 No. 1 hole on the Harvester course, all three reached the green in two. But Moses and Meldrum two-putted and Boden sank her first putt for a birdie and the championship.

``The putt was pretty straight and uphill and at first, I thought I was short,'' Boden said. ``But it barely had enough gas to get in.''

Boden also won the 1999 title in a playoff. Moses was the individual champion last year.

Oklahoma State had three golfers in the top nine to win the team title with a 925 _ six strokes ahead of Texas. Baylor was third at 947.

Emma Zackrisson of Oklahoma State finished sixth at 231 and teammate Linda Wesseberg tied for seventh at 233.

``I was really proud of Linda,'' Oklahoma State coach Amy Weeks said. ``She hit two balls in the water and still came out with a 75 today. I think our kids played their own game and hung in there.''

Missouri, which began the day with a two-stroke lead over Oklahoma State and Texas, finished fourth at 949. Nebraska was fifth at 958, followed by Texas A&M (964), Oklahoma (965), Texas Tech (967), Kansas State (968), Iowa State (976), Colorado (988) and Kansas (1,007).

Boden, who trailed Moses by three strokes heading into Wednesday's round, shot an even-par 72 and Moses was finishing with a 75. Meldrum, who had been four strokes off the lead, closed with a 71.