Golf: Ochoa Overhauls Sorenstam

Lorena Ochoa took a huge step towards dethroning Annika Sorenstam as the LPGA Tour player of the year when she overwhelmed the Swede last night with a seven-under-par 65 in the final round to win the Samsung World Championship at the Bighorn Club in Palm Desert, California, by three shots.

Ochoa was relentless at the start, a little lucky in the middle and solid down the stretch to win for the second consecutive week and fifth time this year. Trailing by two shots at the turn, she sank a 60-foot putt on the 10th hole and it turned into a two-shot swing when Sorenstam made bogey from a bunker. The 24-year-old Mexican stood on the green in mild shock, then smiled and shook her head.

"I gave 100% on every shot," she said. "I fought with all my heart. I know I can do it, I believe in myself. It was fun."

Her final-round card matched the best score of the tournament. Juli Inkster earlier posted a 65, which was 10 shots better than her playing partner, Michelle Wie. The 17-year-old from Hawaii finished with a 75, her worst score on the US LPGA Tour this year and her eighth consecutive round without breaking par. She was 17th in the 20-player field.

Ochoa, though, took the first prize of $218,750 (£118,000), which pushed her season total over $2.3m. Sorenstam, or Karrie Webb, would have to win the final two tournaments of the year to keep Ochoa from winning player of the year. Sorenstam has won that title for the past five years and she would have helped her cause of making it six on the trot with a win in this tournament. She took a three-shot lead into the final day but could not hold off Ochoa, who played bogey-free. Sophie Gustafson shot a 69 to finish third.

Friends and family rushed on to the 18th green and draped Ochoa in a Mexican flag after her victory before spraying her with champagne.