LPGA Sorenstam reaches 50th career victory

She became the sixth player to win 50 or more tournaments.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Annika Sorenstam was unusually nervous when she came onto the first tee, knowing she was only one win away from a career milestone.
By the time she walked up the 18th fairway, she was relaxed and smiling -- No. 50 was in the bag.
Sorenstam birdied three of the final five holes of the Office Depot Championship on Sunday for a 3-under 69 and her 50th LPGA Tour title.
Realization
"I still have a hard time believing it's 50. It's a magical number," the LPGA Hall of Famer said after her 9-under 207 total in the three-day tournament gave her a three-shot victory.
Ashli Bunch had a 65, and Meg Mallon a 70 to tie for second.
Sorenstam was the defending champion, also won in 2001 and was the runner-up in 2002.
She said thinking about the milestone made her a little "uptight" when she began the final round.
"I told my caddie [Terry McNamara] and he said he felt the same way, even though I'd done it 49 times before and he has been there with me for 20-something," Sorenstam said.
Sorenstam was in front all the way, although Bunch, playing in a group five holes in front of her, briefly drew even in the final round.
Sorenstam became the sixth LPGA player to win 50 or more tournaments, and the first in almost 35 years. The most recent was Kathy Whitworth in 1969. Whitworth also won the most titles, 88.
Bunch, winless in four years on the tour, pulled even at 6-under as she finished her round while Sorenstam was on No. 13. Sorenstam was well aware that Bunch had tied her.
"I felt the heat and thought that I've got to do something," she said.
Then she did.
At par for the day when she lined up a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 14, Sorenstam sank it to go to 7-under, built a two-shot lead with a similar birdie on No. 16, then added a tap-in birdie on the next hole.
The 28-year-old Bunch, who had never finished higher than fourth, and Isabelle Beisiegel both had closing 65s, the lowest score in the three years the tournament has been played at El Caballero Country Club. Beisiegel finished at 216.
"To be honest, I didn't tee it up thinking I could win the tournament," Bunch said. "I knew I could pass a lot of people, but my husband [Michael, also her caddie] said [Saturday] night that Annika is going to be tough to beat."