Sorenstam wins Canadian Women's Open

MARKHAM, Ontario (AP) -- Annika Sorenstam was in her element -- no matter the elements -- on Angus Glen's mentally challenging South Course.

The Swedish tactician splashed her way to her sixth victory of the year Sunday, shooting a 3-under-par 69 in the rain to beat Kelly Robbins by two strokes in the Canadian Women's Open.

"I'm as tired as I could be," Sorenstam said. "I've been thinking for four, five days just focusing and making sure I hit the right club and put it in the right places."

After opening with a 71, she shot a 68 in 35-mph wind Friday, and grabbed a share of the lead with a course-record 64 in perfect conditions Saturday -- hitting all 14 fairways and 18 greens in regulation. She finished at 16-under 272 total.

"It's a great course and with the conditions we've had, it's been quite tough," Sorenstam said. "I had to have a little different strategy every day. It kept you on your toes."

After taking a seven-stroke lead with four holes to play, she bogeyed the final two holes to end a string of 48 holes without a blemish on her scorecard.

"At the end, I probably played too conservatively," she said.

Robbins, who had a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, birdied three of the last four holes for a 71.

South Korea's Se Ri Pak and Canada's Lorie Kane tied for third, five strokes back. Pak shot a 68, and Kane had a 70.

Sorenstam got off to a fast start with a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 1, and added birdies on Nos. 5 and 9 as the other leaders struggled in the sloppy conditions.

"I wanted to get off to a good start and I did on the first hole," Sorenstam said. "I just kind of kept it going."

She made a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 13 and hit a pitching wedge to 4 feet on the par-5 14th to take the seven-stroke lead.

"I felt really relaxed after 13," Sorenstam said.

Play was delayed 1 hour, 22 minutes because of rain, with Sorenstam on No. 4. Anticipating the rain, the tour grouped the players in threesomes and started them on both the first and 10th tees. The leaders began play at 9:30 a.m., three hours earlier than originally scheduled.

Sorenstam, also a six-time winner in 1997, has 29 victories in eight seasons on the LPGA Tour. She earned $180,000 to push her tour-leading total to a career-best $1,506,209, and stretched her lead over Pak in the player of the year race to 70 points.

The Swede won four straight tournaments in March and April - becoming the first female player to shoot a 59 in tournament play and winning her third major. She also won in early May and returned to top form last week in Ohio with a runner-up finish in the Wendy's Championship for Children.

"I'm overwhelmed with this season," Sorenstam said. "I found my game last week and I'm really happy that I was able to bring it here. I'm really happy with my game and swing."

She has successfully protected a final-round lead 19 times in 32 chances, but let one slip away last year at Royal Ottawa in the final du Maurier Classic, closing with a 74 to finish two strokes behind Meg Mallon.

"Last year it was very disappointing," Sorenstam said. "I got off to a really slow start and couldn't get it going."

Robbins, winless since the season-opening event in 1999, made a 60-foot birdie putt on No. 15 and also birdied Nos. 17 and 18.

"Annika played great," Robbins said. "Once she got it to 16 or 17 under, I knew I was just playing for second. But it was a good way to finish a good week."

Cristie Kerr shot a 68 to finish fifth at 11 under.

The Bank of Montreal-sponsored tournament replaced the du Maurier, the major championship that folded because of Canada's restrictions on tobacco promotions.

Divots: Kelli Kuehne shot a 66, the best round of a day, to tie for ninth at 8 under. ... Sorenstam is 34 under in her last two events. She was 18 under last week in the 54-hole Wendy's tournament. ... Australian star Karrie Webb shot a 69 to tie for 15th at 6 under. ... The 2002 tournament will be played at Summerlea outside Montreal. ... Angus Glen will be the site of the PGA Tour's Canadian Open in 2002 and 2007, with the 2007 event set for the new North Course.