Ochoa Earns 23rd Career Victory; Boosts Earnings To More Than $12 million

Clifton, NJ (AHN) -- Lorena Ochoa shot a 1-under 71 to grind out a one-shot victory for her third straight Sybase Classic title on Sunday and her sixth championship in nine events this year. Ochoa won the 54-hole, rain-shortened Sybase by a stroke over Morgan Pressel, Scottland's Catriona Matthew, Sweden's Sophie Gustafson, Brittany Lang and Tour rookie Na Yeon Choi. Christina Kim finished two shots back while H.J. Choi was another shot off the pace and Natalie Castrale and Jimin Kang finished four back. Ochoa finished at 10-under for her 23rd victory and her 20th since April 2006. Her $300,000 top prize pushed her career earnings to more than $12 million -- the fastest player on the LPGA Tour to ever reach that mark. It took Ochoa just more than five years to reach the earnings milestone -- four years faster than Annika Sorenstam, who held the previous record. Sorenstam shot a 71 to finish five shots behind Ochoa. Said Ochoa, "It was a tough day, but I did it. I think that was what was important. It doesn't matter how you do it sometimes; you play really good, other players struggled, sometimes you just keep yourself in a good position. Today, it was different; it was a different win, but I enjoyed it a lot." Ochoa had an early four-stroke lead, but had trouble with her putter throughout the round. Gustafson had a chance to tie at No. 18, but pushed her 12-foot putt to the right. Pressel, the 19-year-old who shot a 6-under 66, also got to within a shot of Ochoa on No. 12 -- her fifth birdie in seven holes. But Ochoa birdied No. 11 to get back to 11-under and stayed there the rest of the round.