Annika Sorenstam wins title for 5th straight time

Annika Sorenstam became the first player in LPGA Tour history to win a tournament five straight times, shooting an 8-under 64 in steady drizzle Sunday for a three-stroke victory in the Mizuno Classic.

``Obviously I'm very, very happy to get a chance to do something today that nobody has ever done before,'' Sorenstam said.

``I felt pressure all week, but I was able to control my nerves and make some birdies when I needed to. To come here and do something like this is very gratifying.''

Sorenstam, 95 under in 15 rounds on the Seta course during her winning streak, broke a tie with Laura Davies for the LPGA Tour record for consecutive victories in an event. Davies won the Standard Register Ping from 1994-97.

``I like this golf course,'' Sorenstam said. ``I shoot under par here because I'm making my putts. I feel confident when I come here and I think that's important.''

The PGA Tour record for consecutive victories in an event is four, a mark shared by Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen and Tiger Woods.

``This is one of the biggest things I've done in my career,'' Sorenstam said. ``it shows a lot of consistency. ... It's tough to rate this against some of my other accomplishments because they're all so different. But to do something nobody has ever done is going to rank right up there.''

Sorenstam pulled away from playing partners Jennifer Rosales and Young Kim with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 and also birdied the final two holes -- both par 5s -- for the second straight day. After opening with five straight pars, Sorenstam eagled the sixth hole -- holing a 15-foot putt after a 4-wood approach from 240 yards -- and added birdies on Nos. 8 and 11 tie Rosales and Kim for the lead.

``That eagle putt got me going on the front and I think my solid back nine was the key,'' Sorenstam said.

The Swedish star opened with rounds of 64 and 67 en route to a 21-under 195 total. She had only one bogey in the tournament, on the 12th hole Saturday.

Rosales, the Filipino star who won the SBS Open at Turtle Bay in February for her second LPGA Tour title, closed with a 66. She also eagled the 483-yard sixth, holing a chip shot.

Kim, the South Korean player who led after each of the first two rounds, shot a 70 to drop into a tie for third.

Sorenstam, who earned $150,000 to push her season total to $2,373,240, has nine LPGA Tour victories in 19 starts this year and also won a European tour event in Sweden. She has 65 career LPGA Tour victories.

Sorenstam also tied the tour record for victories in a single event that she shares with Mickey Wright. Sorenstam matched Wright last month in California with her fifth victory in the Samsung World Championship.

Japanese money leader Yuri Fudoh (64) and Sweden's Sophie Gustafson (66) matched Kim at 16 under, and South Koreans Meena Lee (66) and Jeong Jang (69) and France's Karine Icher (67) followed at 14 under.

The 78-player field featured 43 LPGA Tour players and 35 Japan LPGA players.

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