Lorie KaneRick Sharp
Lorie Kane of Charlottetown fired the lowest score of the two-day ISPS Handa Cup on the weekend but it was all for naught in the end: Her World team fell to the U.S. squad in the team event on the Legends Tour for women 45 and older.
In the anchor singles match at Reunion Resort & Club in Orlando on Sunday, Kane shot a blistering seven-under-par 65 to beat Sherri Turner, who carded 71.
But by then, the U.S. team had secured enough points to retain the cup for the seventh year in a row.
U.S. legend Nancy Lopez won the clinching match in the third-last match of the day, beating Gail Graham of Winnipeg by three shots.
Although the U.S. team continued its streak of titles, this one was the closest in history. The final score was 24-24. With the tie, the Americans retained the cup.
"It was a victory for women's golf," World captain Pia Nilsson said at the event's closing ceremony, adding her team needs only to improve a little bit more before the contest next year to come out on top. "We will start practice tomorrow and come back just that tiny bit better next year."
At one point Sunday, the World team was ahead six points before the Americans came roaring back.
On Saturday, Kane won her alternate shot match but lost a best-ball match. Canadian Dawn Coe-Jones was her partner in both.
Coe-Jones of Campbell River, B.C., also won her singles match Sunday, over Betsy King.
The competition features 12 U.S. veterans against 12 counterparts from around the world. It's the penultimate event on the tour's eight-tournament calendar in 2012.