PALM DESERT, California, 17 October 2006 — Lorena Ochoa took a major step to claiming LPGA Player of the Year and season prize money honors by outdueling Annika Sorenstam in Sunday’s final round to win the Samsung World Championship.

The 24-year-old Mexican star sizzled with the putter as she fired five birdies and an eagle in a final-round seven-under par 65 to finish 72 holes on 16-under par 272 and beat the Swedish world number one by two strokes.

LPGA season money leader Ochoa won her tour-best fifth title of the year but it was only the second victory that came with Sorenstam in the field.

Not only was Sorenstam among the elite 20 women at this $875,000 event but she was paired alongside Ochoa in the final group and for the third time in four days.

“I knew Annika would show up. I played with all my heart and I feel happy,” Ochoa said. “She knows I can do it. I know I can do it.

“I’m very excited. It feels great.” Ochoa handled the pressure and captured one of her greatest triumphs to deny Sorenstam’s bid to become the first player to win any LPGA event six times. The Swedish star won here in 1995, 1996, 2002 and the past two years.

Sorenstam, who celebrated her 36th birthday last Monday, still seeks her 70th career LPGA crown in pursuit of Kathy Whitworth’s all-time record of 88.

Sorenstam had won 12 of the prior 13 events in which she led entering the final round, but Ochoa’s comeback continued a season of struggles for Sorenstam, who this year has won only one of eight title defenses.

Ochoa, who began the day three strokes behind Sorenstam, sank a six-foot birdie at the 11th hole to reach 15-under and claim a one-stroke lead, her first outright advantage since the 15th hole of Thursday’s opening round.

Both leaders managed tension-packed pars over the next three holes before Ochoa dropped a 20-foot birdie putt at the par-5 15th and Sorenstam lipped out a 10-foot par putt to fall three strokes behind Ochoa with three holes to play.

Sorenstam sank her own 20-footer for birdie at the par-3 16th to trim Ochoa’s edge to two strokes, but was forced to sink a testy eight-foot putt at 17 simply to match Ochoa’s par and cling to hope heading to the last hole.

Sorenstam was just right of the cup on a 25-foot birdie putt at the 18th and settled for par before Ochoa completed a bogey-free weekend with a three-foot par putt to seal the triumph.

Rivals learned early that it would be only a two-woman fight for the title as Sorenstam and Ochoa each started strong.

On the 10th hole, Ochoa dropped a 50-foot birdie putt to grab a share of the lead after Sorenstam had blasted over the green and took a bogey.

Ochoa opened with a 20-foot birdie and eagled the par-5 third from the same distance followed by a birdie at the fifth to match Sorenstam for the lead, but the Swede’s birdies put Ochoa down by two strokes at the turn.

Sorenstam birdied the second hole for the third day in a row and the par-5 third hole for the fourth time in as many tries. She took a bogey at the fifth but answered with birdies on the par-5 seventh and par-4 ninth holes.

Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson was third on 277, two strokes ahead of American Stacy Prammanasudh.

The LPGA Tour goes to Asia for three weeks starting with next week’s event in Thailand.