Annika Sorenstam

finishes with 65

and then wins
China play-off

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

World No. 3 Annika Sorenstam secured her 89th career title with a great final round of 65 and then a play-off victory in the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open in China today.
The 38-year-old Swede, pictured right, defeated China's Li Ying Ye at the second extra hole of a sudden death play-off in the inaugural event at Suzhou Taihu International Golf Club in Suzhou.
Five strokes behind Ye overnight, Sorenstam shot a final round of seven-under 65 for a three-round total of 13-under 203 to tie with Ye at the end of regulation play.
Both players birdied the first play-off hole but Sorenstam clinched the victory when Ye missed a short putt at the second extra hole. The win was worth 30,000 Euros but the title in what she has said will be her last full competitive season probably meant more to the millionaire Swede.

Sorenstam, who fired eight birdies and one bogey in the final round, drew one stroke clear of Ye after a birdie at the 16th but temporarily lost her lead when Ye birdied the 17th. Both players birdied the par 5 18th hole.

"I had a good start and that's what I wanted to do. Ye played well throughout the tournament and it was difficult to play the catch-up game with her until I managed to draw level at the 15th hole,” Sorenstam said.

"I tried my best to apply the pressure on her but she never succumbed to it and I thought anything could happen in the play-off. This is my 89th career win and I'm so happy,” she added. Ye, who held the lead for the first two rounds in the three-day event, said:

"I made a couple of mistakes. Today my game was good and at times I've failed to check my game, thus I made costly mistakes and lost three or four stokes, that was as good as being in the bag. I hope to learn from this experience and improve further to be able to participate in big tournaments."

Sharing third place, seven shots behind the play-off participants, on a six-under 210 total were Thailand’s Porani Chutichai (68), Amanda Moltke-Leth of Denmark (68) and Australia's Karen Lunn (71), who is the chairman of the Ladies European Tour.

Lunn was disappointed with the two bogeys she had on the home stretch and said: "It was unforced errors and I should have done better. I missed a couple of close putts and though I'm in this position (joint third), I'm not happy with my play today."

In her final round, birdied the first, second, fourth, fifth and ninth in an outward 31, bogeying the 10th, and then finishing strongly with birdies at the 14th, 16th and 18th.
Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) signed off with a par 72 for one-over-par total of 217, which earned her a share of 28th place and 2,040 Euros. She was the leading UK and Ireland player.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3 x 72)

Players from China unless stated
203 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 69 69 65, Li Ying Ye 65 68 70 (Sorenstam won play-off; Sorenstam 30,000 Euros, Ye 20,300 Euros).
210 Chutichai Porani (Thailand) 72 70 68, Karen Lunn (Australia) 72 67 71, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Denmark) 68 74 68 (11,093 Euros each).

212 Yang Tao-Li 75 70 67, Russamee Gulyanamitta (Thailand) 70 70 72, Pornaong Phatlum (Thailand) (6,000 Euros each).

213 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 68 76 69, Nontaya Srisawang (Thailand) 70 73 70, Zuzana Kamasova (Slovakia) 69 73 71, Carmen Alonso (Spain) 72 70 71, Eun Kyoung Lee (South Korea) 71 70 72, Laurette Martiz (South africa) 70 71 72, YanPan Pan 69 71 73, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 68 72 73 (3,470 Euros each).

214 Yang Hong Mai 68 71 71, Lim Bing (Malaysia) 69 74 71, Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro (Thailand) 72 71 71, Ursul a Wikstrom (Finland) 72 70 71 (2,685 Euros each).

215 Nicole Mopntgomery (Australia) 71 74 70, Anna Rossi (Italy) 77 67 71, Eva Steinberger (Austria) 72 70 73, Han Min-Jee (South Korea) 69 69 77 (2,430 Euros each).

216 Hei Ji Kim (South Koirea) 75 71 70, Nicole Gergely (Austria) 72 72 72 (2,250 Euros each).

217 Sarah Oh (Australia) 73 72 72, Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 73 72 72, Nathalie David-Mila (France) 74 69 74, Frances Bondad (Austria) 77 6 9 71, Onnarin Sattayabanphot (Thailand) 67 76 74 (2,040 Euros each).
218 Christine Hallstrom (Sweden) 73 71 74, Jenni Kuosa (Finaldn) 73 75 70, Shen Yan Hua 70 72 76, Margherita Rigon (Italy) 767 71 70 (1,770 Euros each).
219 Danielle Montgomery (England) 71 75 73, Kirsty S Taylor (England) 73 73 72, Joo Mi Ri (South Korea) 75 70 74, Zhong Ziao Long 74 72 73, Lu Kwan Chih (Chinese Taipei) 72 74 73, He Hong Ling 71 75 73, Kate Combes (Australia) 73 75 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thiland) 74 74 71 (1,405 Euros each).
220 Sophie Walker 72 75 73, Kaisa Ruuttila (Finland) 71 74 75,Tiranum Yoopan (Thailand) 72 74 74, Wu Hong Lian 74 72 74, Rungthiwa Pangjan (Thailand) 74 74 72, Florence Luscher (Switzerlands) 73 73 71 (1,060 Euros each).

Selected other score
223 Joanne Morley (England) 74 74 74 (630 Euros)