Sorenstam Drives Herself to Another Major Victory

Annika Sorenstam’s clutch drive on the 18th hole set up a routine par Sunday, giving her a one-stroke victory in the Women’s British Open over Se Ri Pak and another place in the LPGA Tour record book as the sixth woman to complete the career Grand Slam.

“I felt the pressure, but then on the other hand, I felt this is what it’s all about -- to play in a major championship where you have to perform,” Sorenstam said. “And it was a great feeling. Now I’m here, sitting here with a trophy. This is what I wanted for so long.”

Sorenstam took the lead for the first time with a two-putt birdie on the par-five 11th. Pak battled back with birdies on the 12th and 16th holes, but she stumbled on the tough closing hole at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

Trying to play it safe, Pak hit a three-wood that trickled into a pot bunker, leaving her no chance to reach the green. She blasted out, then punched a wedge into the wind to 12 feet.

Sorenstam thought about a seven-wood to avoid the same mistake.

“But then I figured I have a chance to win,” Sorenstam said. “I can hit this drive down the middle and have a short iron in, and I can win the championship. It was really the key shot.”

Pak missed her par putt, and Sorenstam two-putted from 10 feet for par and the final piece of her Grand Slam. She closed with a two-under 70 and finished at 10-under 278. Pak finished with a 72 to put her at nine-under 279.

Sorenstam won the U.S. Women’s Open in 1995-96, and the Nabisco Championship in 2001-02. Since playing in the Colonial -- where she became the first woman in 58 years to compete on the PGA Tour, although she missed the cut -- she won the LPGA Championship in a playoff over Grace Park, and held off an impressive group to win the Women’s British Open.

“I’ve won another major, and now I’ve won all four,” she said. “So all my goals are coming true.”

Karrie Webb, Juli Inkster, Pat Bradley, Mickey Wright and Louise Suggs are the other women with career Grand Slams.

Next on the agenda is a calendar Grand Slam, a feat she believes is possible.

“I’ve played eight majors in the last two years and had a chance to win seven of them,” she said. “It’s been that close. I have proved to myself I can win all four majors.”

This is the first time Sorenstam has won two majors in one year, and she attributes some of that to her decision to play against men at Colonial.

“I’ve become a better player since the Colonial for different reasons,” she said. “I experienced a lot of pressure, and that’s what you experience in a day like today. The more you do it, I think the better you will get at it. I’ve been in this situation many times, and I’ve lost a few, and I’ve won a few.”

The victory was her 46th on the LPGA Tour -- six of them majors -- and 56th worldwide.

Webb, the defending champion, closed with a 71 and finished two strokes behind at eight-under 280, along with Park. Patricia Meunier-LeBouc, who recently learned that she is pregnant, quickly lost her one-stroke lead and shot a 76 to finish fifth with a 282.

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Grand Slams

Career grand slams on the LPGA Tour:

*--* ANNIKA SORENSTAM

*--*

* Nabisco: 2001, 2002

* LPGA Championship: 2003

* U.S. Open: 1995, 1996

* British Open: 2003

*--* KARRIE WEBB

*--*

* Nabisco: 2000

* LPGA Championship: 2001

* U.S. Open: 2000, 2001

* Du Maurier Classic: 1999

* British Open: 2002

*--* JULI INKSTER

*--*

* Nabisco Dinah Shore: 1984, 1989

* LPGA Championship: 1999, 2000

* U.S. Open: 1999, 2002

* Du Maurier Classic: 1984

*--* LOUISE SUGGS

*--*

* LPGA Championship: 1957

* U.S. Open: 1949, 1952

* Titleholders: 1946, 1954, 1956, 1959

* Western Open: 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953

*--* PAT BRADLEY

*--*

* Nabisco Dinah Shore: 1986

* LPGA Championship: 1986

* U.S. Open: 1981

* Du Maurier Classic: 1980, 1985, 1986

*--* MICKEY WRIGHT

*--*

* LPGA: 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963

* U.S. Open: 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964

* Titleholders: 1961, 1962

* Western Open: 1962, 1963, 1966

NOTE: The Titleholders was a major championship from 1937-66 and 1972. Western Open was a major from 1937-67 and the du Maurier was a major from 1979-00. The Dinah Shore became a major in 1983. The du Maurier was replaced by the Women’s British Open in 2001. Webb won the British in 1995.