4-shot lead slips away, but Ochoa hangs on

CLIFTON, N.J. -- Lorena Ochoa found a new way to win, grinding it out instead of running away from the field.

A day after leaving the retiring Annika Sorenstam in her wake, Ochoa overcame a balky putter to shoot a 1-under 71 and posted a 1-stroke victory over five players Sunday for her third straight victory in the rain-shortened Sybase Classic.

"It was a tough day, but I did it," Ochoa said. "I think that was what was important. It doesn't matter how you do it sometimes; you play really good, other players struggle, sometimes you just keep yourself in a good position. … It was a different win, but I enjoyed it a lot."

The victory was the 22nd for Ochoa since April 2006, and the $300,000 prize pushed her career earnings past the $12 million mark, making her the fastest player on the LPGA Tour to reach that plateau.

Ochoa accomplished it in just over five years, more than four years faster than the old mark set by Sorenstam, who played herself out of contention with a second-round 73.

The win also ended the 26-year-old Mexican's two-tournament victory drought and reaffirmed her status as the best player in women's golf.

This win was much different than her first 5 this year. Ochoa won those events by a combined 37 strokes, with the closest margin being 3 shots.

Ochoa grabbed an early 4-shot lead Sunday with a birdie on No. 2 in the $2 million tournament, but she spent the rest of the day missing birdie putts and watching a host of players make runs at her lead.

Sophie Gustafson of Sweden, Morgan Pressel, Catriona Matthew of Scotland, rookie leader Na Yeon Choi and Brittany Lang all finished the 54-hole tournament at 9-under-par 207, a shot behind the winner.

Gustafson came the closest to catching Ochoa. She birdied No. 16 from 20 feet to get within 2 shots, and she pulled to within 1 when the leader bogeyed the par-3 No. 17 after hitting her tee shot into a bunker.

Both players reached the par-5 No. 18 in 3, with Ochoa getting into position despite having to contend with some trees on her second shot after a drive into the rough.

Gustafson had a 12-footer to tie. The putt was right all the way.

Ochoa, who missed 10 birdie putts of 20 feet or less, then simply had to 2-putt from 8 feet to win for the 24th time on tour. She missed the first putt, and then tapped in.