Stanford holds off Sorenstam to win Lorena Ochoa Invitational

11/17/2008

Annika Sorenstam nearly holed her third shot on the par-5 18th, then lipped out a 9-foot birdie try to give Angela Stanford a one-stroke victory Sunday in the inaugural Lorena Ochoa Invitational

Sorenstam, making her second-to-last start before she leaves the LPGA Tour, holed out from a bunker for birdie on the par-3 16th to get to 12 under -- a stroke behind Stanford -- but settled for pars on the final two holes. On the 18th, her wedge shot rolled just by the side of the cup as it spun back down the green.

Stanford two-putted for par on 18 before Sorenstam missed her birdie try.

Stanford, the Bell Micro LPGA Classic winner in September, closed with a 3-under 69. She had a 13-under 275 total on the Guadalajara Country Club course and earned $200,000 for her third LPGA Tour title.

The Texan has five straight top-five finishes.

Sorenstam, the 72-time LPGA Tour winner coming off a playoff victory two weeks ago in China in a Ladies European Tour event, also finished with a 69. She tied for second with Brittany Lang, the former Duke star who shot a course-record 65.

She didn't see her near-miss on her third shot on 18.

Ochoa shot a 70 to tie for 14th at 4 under.

She had a busy week on and off the course.

Leaderboard – Final:

1.   Angela Stanford                  68 66 72 69 275 -13
2.   Brittany Lang                      68 74 69 65 276 -12
      Annika Sorenstam               68 72 67 69 276 -12
4.   Meena Lee                          69 69 76 66 280 - 8
      Jeong Jang                         73 68 71 68 280 - 8
      Jee Young Lee                    69 71 69 71 280 - 8
      Sun Young Yoo                   70 70 70 70 280 - 8
      Katherine Hull                     71 71 66 72 280 - 8
9.   In-Kyung Kim                      70 71 70 70 281 - 7
10. Teresa Lu                           72 71 69 70 282 - 6

Source: AP, LPGA Tour