Sorenstam wins 6th LPGA title of 2002

If anyone wants to win the U.S. Women's Open this week, they better find a way to beat Annika Sorenstam.

Sorenstam gave all hopefuls something more to worry about, shooting a bogey-free 5-under-par 66 to post a three-stroke victory on Sunday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, the final tuneup for the biggest event in women's golf.

The victory was the second in as many LPGA starts for Sorenstam, her fourth in six events and sixth in 12 events this year. Add in the Australian Masters earlier this year and the Swede will clearly be the favorite in the Open at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.

``This is why I have worked so hard. This is what I want,'' Sorenstam said after winning here for the second time in five years.

``It's all going my way, so I am just going to enjoy it and be thankful,'' the 31-year-old Swedish superstar said. ``It's a great run and I love it.''

The win was Sorenstam's third come-from-behind victory this year, and her 13th in 37 LPGA wins for the Hall of Famer. It was worth $180,000 and it pushed her earnings this year to $1,534,054, more than twice the amount of the tour's No. 2 money earner Se Ri Pak.

``She is really focused,'' said runner-up Kate Golden, who saw her chance to beat Sorenstam fall apart with bogeys on four of the last five holes on the Bay Course at the Marriott Seaview Resort.

``I don't know if you have watched her, but she has tunnel vision all the time,'' Golden said. ``She knows what she wants to do and does it.''

Sorenstam finished the event in the shadow of Atlantic City's casinos with a 12-under-par total of 201, with each round in the 54-hole tournament getting better.

What's even scarier is that she had a lot of birdie putts lip out all three days.

``I don't feel like I have to analyze this,'' Sorenstam said. ``This is the hard work that is being paid off right now. You start working out, you work harder on your game, it takes time. It's been almost two years since I started. You plant the seed, now you see the fruit.''

Last year's fruit wasn't bad either.

Sorenstam won eight times and had six seconds and 19 Top 10 finishes in winning her fourth LPGA player of the year award.

Golden, second-round leader Juli Inkster and Carin Koch all finished tied for second, a shot ahead of Hiromi Kobayashi and rookie Natalie Gulbis.

Sorenstam, who didn't get many putts to fall until late in her second round, started the final round three shots behind Inkster, two behind Golden and one in back of final-round playing partner Pat Hurst.

Sorenstam moved into contention with consecutive birdies at the third, fourth and fifth holes, all less than 10 feet.

By the time she walked off No. 6, she was in a three-way tie for the lead.

Inkster, who had won six consecutive events in which she held the lead heading into the final round, struggled all day with her driver and putter and fell out of the lead after a bogey at No. 9.

``I didn't play good enough to win,'' said Inkster, who had a final-round 72. ``I am disappointed in that, you know, I just hate to give it to her on a platter.''

Hurst also fell out of contention after a double bogey on the same hole. She had a final-round 76 and finished tied for 24th place at 3-under-par.

That left Golden, who shot a final-round 63 last year to come from behind to beat Sorenstam in last year's State Farm Classic.

For a while it looked like Golden would beat Sorenstam again. She rolled in long birdie putts at Nos. 12 and 13 to take a two-shot lead.

However, a bad drive, a bad iron and a topped wood in the fairway led to consecutive bogeys at Nos. 14-16, costing her the lead.

A tap-in birdie at the par-5 No. 16 gave Sorenstam breathing room.

``I just messed up,'' said Golden, who had missed four cuts and not finished better than a tie for 24th in 12 events this year. ``I got a little greedy again.''

Golden, who needed to eagle the par-5 No. 18 to tie, lost her final chance when her drive landed in the deep rough and she had to take an unplayable lie en route to another bogey and a final-round par 71.

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