Sun May 11 16:40:47 2008

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Vintage Sorenstam romps in Williamsburg

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Williamsburg, VA (Sports Network) - After a year filled with injury, Annika Sorenstam proved she is back to her old form on Sunday.

Sorenstam fired a five-under 66 to cruise to a seven-shot win at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill. She ended her third win of 2008 at 19-under-par 265.

"It was a very special one. I love coming here, I think it's a great golf course. I just haven't done well here in the past," said Sorenstam, who picked up $330,000 for the win. "It means a lot to play well here. They've had great winners here in the past and I wanted to do something special this week."

Her total of 265 smashed the old scoring record of 270 that Karrie Webb set in 2006. With her third win this year, she is one of just four winners on tour through 11 events this year.

"I feel great. This season has started very, very well," Sorenstam stated. "It's nice to be back and playing some good golf and feel like I can control the golf ball again. I'm enjoying it very much."

The victory was No. 72 on the LPGA Tour for Sorenstam and she moves within 10 off Mickey Wright and is 16 behind all-time leader Kathy Whitworth.

Former Women's British Open champion Jeong Jang was two back at the turn, but could not keep up down the stretch as she closed with a one-under 70.

Jang tripped to a bogey at the last to drop into a share of second at 12- under-par 272. She ended alongside Allison Fouch (64), Christina Kim (69) and Karen Stupples (66).

Katherine Hull also closed with a 64 to end alone in sixth at 11-under-par 273. Her round included a rare double-eagle at the par-five seventh.

Sorenstam will move closer to world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa in the rankings, but didn't have to worry about Ochoa on Sunday. Ochoa could only manage a one- under 70 in the final round to finish tied for 12th at minus-seven.

"I was a little frustrated. It was a long week," said Ochoa. "I had trouble with the speed of the greens and they also broke more than I thought. It's time to move on to the next one because it wasn't my week."

The duo has combined for 44 wins on the LPGA Tour since this event in 2004. With the win, Sorenstam matched Ochoa with 22 titles apiece in that span.

Sorenstam dropped a shot on the second, but rebounded with a two-putt birdie on the par-five third. She rolled in a seven-footer for birdie on the sixth to move to 15-under.

Jang chipped in for birdie on the ninth to make the turn two behind Sorenstam, but the Swede pulled away on the back nine of the River Course at Kingsmill Resort & Spa.

Sorenstam birdied the 10th from about eight feet to regain a three-stroke lead. She ran off three straight birdies from the 13th, all from inside nine feet, to climb to 19-under.

At the par-three 17th, Sorenstam's tee shot got a perfect bounce off a hill left of the green. Her ball rolled to two feet and she kicked that in for birdie. She three-putted for bogey at the last, but it was only her third bogey of the week.

"I was very pleased," said Sorenstam. "This is a tough golf course in these conditions and J.J. (Jang) was playing well. I felt like I had to do something and I felt very comfortable over the ball. Here on the back nine I said 'let's just play some golf and see what happens.' It was fun."

Jang got to 13-under with her birdies on five and nine, but she did nothing on the back nine. Jang parred the first eight holes around the turn, before dropping a shot at the last.

Fouch birdied five of the first seven holes to fly up the leaderboard. However, she only managed two birdies over the final 11 holes to end at 12- under.

Kim posted four birdies and two bogeys in her round of 69.

Stupples, who won the 2004 Women's British Open, birdied the third and fifth before dropping a shot on six. She bounced back with an eagle on seven.

Around the turn, Stupples tripped to another bogey on the 10th. She ran off three birdies in a four-hole span from the 14th to grab a share of second.

Sophie Gustafson (66) and Candie Kung (68) tied for seventh at 10-under 274.