It looked like a match between Nancy Lopez and Tammie Green, with Laura Davies also in the chase.
Then Nanci Bowen's name suddenly popped up atop the leader board. And Bowen's name was still there at the finish of the Nabisco Dinah Shore on Sunday, as she made her first LPGA victory a major championship.Lopez and Green self-destructed over the final few holes and Davies failed to make a run, opening the door for Bowen to sneak through and win the tournament that's often equated to the men's Masters.
Bowen, who joined the LPGA tour in 1991 then lost her playing card and was relegated to a satellite tour in 1993, shot a 2-under-par 70 to win the first of the women's major championships.
The 27-year-old Bowen finished 3-under par for the tournament, one shot in front of Susie Redman.
"I was assuming the whole day that I was back in the pack," Bowen said. "I never really looked at the leader board. Somebody had yelled at me on No. 17 that I was leading, that's the only way I knew.
"I wanted to stay in my little world and play my game."
Playing in the group in front of Lopez, Green and Davies, Bowen hit into trees along the fairway and bogeyed the final hole. She then watched and waited to see if her lead held up.
Lopez and Green could have tied Bowen with birdies at 18, and Davies needed an eagle. None of them got what they needed.
Lopez, who seemed in control of the tournament when she went to 5-under and two shots ahead of Green on No. 12, bogeyed four of the last five holes - including hitting into the water on No. 18 - to finish tied for third. Her 74 left her two shots behind Bowen.
Green, who began the day two shots in front of Lopez and was tied with Bowen for the lead at 3-under on No. 16, bogeyed No. 17, then had trouble getting out of a bunker and took a double-bogey 7 on the last hole for a 77.
She dropped back to even-par for the tournament, tying Colleen Walker for seventh.
"It's a shame that Tammie and I kind of fell apart," Lopez said. "I don't know what happened. I like for somebody to make a charge.
Davies, who shot a closing 73, had a chance to force a playoff when she hit her second shot onto the green at the par-5, 526-yard No. 18. But she left her putt from about 70 feet far short of the hole.
Bowen, who started the day four shots off Green's pace, birdied at No. 15 and again at No. 17, going 4-under before she closed with a bogey.
Redman shot 71 to take second. Brandie Burton shot a 69 and Sherri Turner had a 70 to finish tied with Lopez and Davies at 1-under.