Pak gains narrow victory

Se Ri Pak, who says she wants to be on the same level with Annika Sorenstam, was one shot better than the LPGA's dominant player.

Pak, a 24-year-old player from South Korea, beat Sorenstam to win the Office Depot Championship on Sunday, denying the 31-year-old Swede her second comeback victory in a row in the tournament.

Neither played extremely well the last day, but Pak's 1-over 73 and 7-under 209 total was good enough to outlast Sorenstam -- who had a 71 -- by one stroke.

``Playing with Annika was great,'' Pak said. ``Then she caught up, but I didn't want to think about it. She's really a consistent player, so I knew she would not just back off easily.

``But I was not just going to give my trophy away,'' added Pak, who kissed the winner's trophy when she got it

Three shots ahead of Sorenstam heading into the final round of the 54-hole event, Pak lost the lead early, moved back in front by three with two holes left, then barely held on to win her 14th title.

A year ago, Sorenstam shot a 66 to come from 10 shots behind leader Pat Hurst on the final day, then beat Mi Hyun Kim on the first hole of a playoff.

Sorenstam sent the tournament down to the wire again with a birdie on the 17th hole to draw within one shot of Pak, who bogeyed the hole.

But Sorenstam's winding 30-foot birdie try on No. 18 curved just past the hole, then Pak's birdie putt from 20 feet stopped one rotation short of the cup. That left, Pak with just a tap-in for par and the win.

Asked about Pak sometimes being overlooked, Sorenstam pointed out that Pak won five times last year, was second behind her on the LPGA money list and ranked second in the world.

``She had an incredible year. I think she has been in the shadows and we should give her all the credit she deserves,'' said Sorenstam, who won eight times and earned $2.1 million last year to Pak's $1.6 million.

A sizable gallery, including many Korean-Americans, followed the final threesome. Attendance was not announced.

``It was really fun because there were so many Koreans out there,'' Pak said. ``They were excited and clapping and cheering. I felt a little bit at home.''

Sorenstam enjoyed it, too.

``I could definitely sense the crowd,'' she said. ``For me this is what it's all about: Sunday and the last group, where we played great golf and it was a great crowd. I would lead and then she would lead and it was a great performance.''

Pak's victory, worth $150,000 of the $1 million purse, was her 14th since she joined the LPGA Tour in 1998.

Laura Diaz shot a 73 to finish third at 3-under 213. Kelli Kuehne had a 68, Jackie Gallagher-Smith a 70, and Wendy Doolan a 72 to tie for fourth at 215.

Sorenstam hurt her chances when she bogeyed the 160-yard, par-3 No. 16. She left her tee shot short of the green, but pitched within 3 feet of the hole. After Pak missed a 10-foot birdie putt, Sorenstam's short putt for par rimmed the cup and came out -- dropping her three shots behind Pak with two holes to go.

Pak made a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 13 to open a two-shot lead, as Sorenstam left a long birdie try 8 feet short of the cup, but made the putt for par.

Pak got off to a shaky start, bogeying both the par-4 second and third holes. Sorenstam drew even with a birdie 3 on the fourth hole, then moved ahead with another birdie on No. 5, as Pak had pars on both holes.

Just as quickly, Pak shifted the momentum back her way, making birdie putts on the next two holes to pull into a tie, then going back in front with a par 3 on No. 8 while Sorenstam bogeyed.

Sorenstam had won two of the four earlier events she played this year, including defending her title in the year's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Pak's win at El Caballero was her first of 2002.

Sorenstam tied Mickey Wright's 37-year-old LPGA record for overcoming the biggest final-round deficit in a victory when she won the 2001 Office Depot tournament.

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