SUN CITY. — The Philippines birdied the final four holes to win the Women’s World Cup of Golf by two strokes Sunday at the Gary Player Country Club here.

Jennifer Rosales and Fil-American Dorothy Delasin hit five birdies in a closing seven-under 65 in a final-day better-ball play to finish at 18-under 198 and edge Korea, which had taken the lead at the turn.

Ji-Yai Shin and Eun-Hee Ji, co-leaders with the Philippines overnight and already on top of the leaderboard after nine holes Sunday, settled for runner-up honors after a closing 67.

Japan also hit a 65 while Taiwan had a 68 to share third spot on 13-under-par 203.

"This is a very big day for the Philippines and for golf in the country," Delasin said.

"This win is for all the Filipinos around the world," she added.

"It was a real team effort," said Rosales, the first Filipina to win on the LPGA Tour with a victory in the 2004 Chick Fil-A Charity Championship.

"The win hasn’t really sunk in at the moment, maybe it will when we have a few beers later. I loved the pressure of having to make each putt and I’m glad I came here to compete with my partner," added the two-time winner on Tour.
Korea hit an eagle-three on the fifth and picked up another shot on the sixth to lead by two strokes at the turn, looking set to finally clinch the title after coming close on three previous occasions.

The Philippines, however, birdied the 11th and 12th holes to draw level.

"We were kind of shaky on the front nine, but we got our groove on the back nine," Delasin explained.

"On the back nine we said to ourselves win or lose we are going to have fun."

Shin and Ji went one ahead at the 14th with a birdie three, but the Philippines, which had earlier rounds of 65-68, hit right back at the 15th with a birdie from Delasin.

The four-time winner on the LPGA Tour then went into overdrive with three-straight birdies at the 16th, 17th and 18th as the Philippines claimed the winner’s check of $280 000.

"I had an angel with me on that (putt)," Delasin said. "I had no fear. I just crossed my fingers and hit it."

"Korea played really well and gave us our money’s worth," she added. Shin and Ji came to the final hole two shots behind the Philippines and, after Shin found the green with her second on the par-five 18th, the Koreans were still in with a chance of winning the title.
Shin had hit a dramatic second shot that looked like flying into the water but instead ricocheted off the rocks and onto the green. She missed the eagle attempt from 30 feet and Delasin hit birdie to give the Philippines the title.

Laurette Maritz and Ashleigh Simon of host South Africa finished tied for sixth on 10 under par, the country’s best performance in tournament history.

"We are really delighted to have got it to 10 under par," Maritz said. "We gave our country hope and we made it exciting for them. That was our goal, and we accomplished that."

France placed fifth at 11-under-205 while tied for sixth were South Africa, Canada’s Lorie Kane and Alena Sharp and Becky Brewerton and Becky Morgan of Wales.

Defending champion Paraguay finished ninth with rounds of 66, 73 and 68 for a three-round total of 207.

Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst of the US had six birdies and a bogey for a final round 67. Their 208 gave them a share of 10th with Scotland’s Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay.

"It’s tough, but it is a fun golf course," Hurst said. "You have to hit it straight, which we didn’t."

Brazil’s Candy Hannemann and Angela Park finished on six under, which was matched by China’s Na Zhang and Wang Chun while Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson and Maria Hjorth were at four-under.