Pressel becomes LPGA's youngest major champion

Morgan Pressel became the youngest major champion in LPGA Tour history Sunday with a game well beyond her 18 years, closing with a 3-under 69 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship as everyone around her self-destructed.

Pressel played her final 24 holes over Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, Calif., without a bogey, finishing the round with a 10-foot birdie putt that looked as though it would be only good enough for second place. Then came a shocking collapse from Suzann Pettersen, the latest and most significant on a sun-baked afternoon in the desert.

Pettersen had a four-shot lead with four holes to play when she started hitting tee shots into the deep rough and missing putts. She went bogey-double bogey-bogey to fall one shot behind, and needing a birdie on the par-5 18th, she hit wedge some 25 feet beyond the hole and missed the putt.

Pressel, who finished at 3-under 285, entered the history books at 18 years, 10 months, 9 days. Previously, the youngest major winner was Sandra Post, who was 20 years, 19 days when she won the 1968 LPGA Championship.

PGA Tour

Adam Scott held off defending champion Stuart Appleby in an all-Australian duel in the Houston Open in Humble, Texas, saving par with a 50-foot putt on the 72nd hole after hitting his tee shot into the water.

Scott shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 17 under, three strokes ahead of Appleby and third-round leader Bubba Watson.

Champions Tour

Keith Fergus became the second player to win PGA, Nationwide and Champions tour titles, closing with a 2-under 70 for a one-stroke victory over Mark O'Meara and Hale Irwin in the Ginn Championship in Palm Coast, Fla.

-- The Associated Press