Kerr ends Sorenstam's winning streak at five

Twice before Cristie Kerr had a chance to end Annika Sorenstam's winning streak, and both times she failed.

No way she was letting her third chance get away.

While Kerr partied on the 18th green at the Michelob Ultra Open in Williamsburg, Va., on Sunday night, Sorenstam had to content herself with owning a share of history. Maybe someday she'll win six tournaments in a row, but not this week.

"I am disappointed, there is no doubt about that," said Sorenstam, whose chances for a record sixth straight victory ended with a double-bogey on the third hole of the final round. "I just have to start over and maybe I can do another streak. We'll see what happens."

Sorenstam wasn't even close to catching Kerr, finishing 10 strokes back at 2-over 286. It was the first time she finished a tournament above par since the 2003 John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic. She was 1 over in the 54-hole event, tying for 10th.

Kerr shot 68-72 Sunday to finish at 8-under 276. It was her fifth career victory, but first with Sorenstam in the field.

"It feels great to know she was in the field. Winning this tournament, it makes it sweeter," said Kerr, who lost to Sorenstam in a playoff at the ADT Championship last year, and blew a three-stroke lead over the Swede in the final round of the MasterCard Classic in March.

After putting out on 18, a wide grin crossed Kerr's face and she heaved her ball into the air. Natalie Gulbis ran onto the green and showered her friend with beer, and Kerr took a swig of it before pouring some on her head.

"It definitely feels like a major championship to me," said Kerr, who earned $330,000. "To know you can play that well and beat the best players in the world is a great feeling."

Jill McGill (72) was second at 3-under 281. Gulbis, Catriona Matthew and Michele Redman tied for third at 2-under 282.

Sorenstam finished in a tie for 12th with Grace Park and Silvia Cavalleri.

"I am not going to look for excuses, other than myself," Sorenstam said. "I had a great opportunity to do something, I just didn't do it."

Since last November, Sorenstam had won five consecutive tournaments to tie Nancy Lopez's long-standing record. She took five weeks off after the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and came to Kingsmill looking for No. 6.

But whether it was the time off, the new irons she was using or just a bad week, she couldn't find her usual groove. After a 5-over 76 in the first round, she was even in jeopardy of missing the cut.

She rallied in the second round with four birdies in a five-hole stretch, and got herself back into contention with a 2-under 69 in the third round Sunday morning. That put her at 1 under for the tournament, and vaulted her all the way to fifth place.

PGA Tour

Vijay Singh took advantage of a record-tying collapse by Sergio Garcia and an untimely mistake by Jim Furyk, rallying from six shots behind with a 6-under 66 and winning the Wachovia Championship on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff Sunday.

Singh only needed a par on the 18th hole at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C., to win for the third time this year after Furyk's tee shot skipped over a creek and rolled down into the water.

Garcia started the day with a six-shot lead, then recovered from his meltdown to take a one-shot lead with two holes to play. He scrambled for bogey at the par-3 17th, and missed a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to fall into a three-man playoff.

It matched the largest final-round collapse in PGA Tour history, last accomplished by Greg Norman in the 1996 Masters.

Garcia was eliminated after three-putting from 45 feet and missing a 6-footer for par on the first extra hole. He became the fifth player to blow a six-shot lead on the PGA Tour.

Singh, Garcia (72) and Furyk all finished at 12-under 276.

Singh joined Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the only three-time winners on the PGA Tour this year.

Nothing went right for Woods all week. After an eagle on the 15th and closing with a birdie, PGA Tour rules officials determined that he should not have moved a fence right of the 10th fairway, that was damaged when the gallery joined in to help. He was given a two-shot penalty, turning his 69 into a 71 and leaving him in a tie for 11th.

Masters runner-up Chris DiMarco closed with a 66 to finish fourth, his third consecutive finish in the top five. Mickelson was 9 under through 15 holes until dropping three shots over the final two holes for a 66 to tie for seventh.

European PGA Tour

Steve Webster won his first PGA European Tour event, closing with five birdies on the last 10 holes for a 4-under 68 and a three stroke victory at the Italian Open in Milan, Italy.

Webster, a five-time runner-up on tour, finished at 18 under at the Castello di Tolcinasco Golf Club.

Bradley Dredge (69), Richard Finch (70) and Anders Hansen (66) tied for second three shots back.

Nationwide Tour

Monday qualifier Eric Axley won his first Nationwide Tour title, shooting a pair of 4-under 67s in a 36-hole finish for a two-stroke victory over Troy Matteson in The Rex Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C.