Sorenstam captures Mizuno Classic for fifth straight year

Annika Sorenstam realized she might not get another chance to make history at the Mizuno Classic. Like so many other times, she came through with her best golf.

Sorenstam birdied four of the last five holes Sunday and closed with an 8-under 64 in a steady drizzle Sunday, winning by three shots in Otsu, Japan, to become the first player in LPGA Tour history to win the same tournament five straight times.

Another trophy, another milestone.

"I had the chance to do something today that nobody else has done, so of course I felt some pressure all week," Sorenstam said. "That is what motivates me. That is why I play this game. To come here and do something like this, it's just very gratifying."

No one on the PGA Tour had ever won a tournament five straight times, either. Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen have won the same event four straight times. On the women's tour, Laura Davies won the Standard Register Ping in Arizona from 1994-97.

Sorenstam finished at 21-under 195 and earned $150,000, pushing her season total to over $2.3 million.

Jennifer Rosales closed with a 66 to finish three shots behind. Young Kim of South Korea, who had a one-shot lead going into the final round, shot 70 and tied for third at 16-under 200 with Yuri Fudoh and Sophie Gustafson, who earned enough money to move into the top 30 on the money list.

Dalhousie Golf Club touring professional Karen Stupples shot a final-round 72 to finish at 3-under 213.

After the second round Saturday, Kim boldly predicted that a 6 under in the final round would be enough to secure her first LPGA Tour victory. When that was mentioned to Sorenstam, she arched her brow as if to say, "Oh, really?"

"I love the challenge and I love coming down the stretch and making the shots you need to," Sorenstam said. "It's just the extra excitement, knowing there are just a few holes left and having to hit the perfect shot. That's when all my adrenaline starts kicking in, on the back nine because that's when it matters."

Kim also got a lesson from the world No. 1 in some of the fundamentals of the game.

Sorenstam eagled the sixth hole to move into a tie for the lead at 15 under with Kim, who had led since the opening round. Sorenstam then had a private chat with her playing partner.

"She took a drop from one of those (electric cart) tracks and I just told her that she didn't mark her ball when she picked it up," Sorenstam said. "So I told her for future reference to always mark the golf ball. She had a good drop, but you need to know where to put the ball."

At last month's Samsung World Championship, 16-year-old Michelle Wie was disqualified in her pro debut when a reporter pointed out an incorrect drop to rules officials one day later.

Sorenstam went on to win the Samsung for the fifth time in her career, joining Mickey Wright in the record books for most victories in a single tournament.

She now has 10 victories this year and 65 in her Hall of Fame career. The Mizuno Classic holds special meaning from having won it a record fifth straight time.

"I think it is one of the biggest things I've done, it shows a lot of consistency," she said. "For me to be able to do it again, knowing what was at stake, I think was very important.

"If I look at my career overall, I've been so lucky to achieve so much. It's tough to rate one thing over another because they all have different meaning. But this is something that no one else has ever done so it is going to rank right up there."

And she may not be done yet.

"I really like (the Seta course layout)," says Sorenstam, looking ahead to next year. "(Playing this event) has become a great little annual thing to do in Japan. I am going to try to continue my tradition. I think every year it gets tougher and tougher, but I'm going to give it a shot."

Sorenstam already wrapped up her eighth Player of the Year award and eighth money title this season. She will take next week off before closing out her year at the ADT Championship in West Palm Beach, Fla., which is for the top 30 players on the LPGA Tour money list.

The Mizuno Classic featured players from the LPGA Tour and 35 from the Japan LPGA Tour.

PGA Tour

Heath Slocum shot a 6-under 66 for a two-stroke victory at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Madison, Miss.

With his father -- former Mississippi club pro Jack Slocum -- as his caddy, the younger Slocum finished at 21-under 267 after four rounds at the par-72, 7,199-yard course at Annandale Golf Club.

Slocum and Loren Roberts were tied at 20 under entering the 17th hole. After knocking his second shot 9 feet from the pin, Slocum birdied the par-4, 413-yard hole.

Meanwhile, Roberts had a bogey after hitting his drive into the water to fall two strokes back.

Slocum closed his round with a par on No. 18. After he made his final 2-foot putt, he thrust a fist and his putter into the air, let out a scream and hugged his father.

Slocum's only other victory came last year at the Chrysler Classic of Tucson. The win at Annandale was worth $540,000 and helped him jump 17 spots to 50th on the money list with $1,606,185 in earnings.

Roberts (68) and Carl Pettersson (67) were two strokes back at 269. Joey Snyder III, a rookie who led after three rounds, shot 70 and finished at 270.

-- From wire reports