Yang fires course record to spoil Sorenstam's home swansong

Amy Yang spoiled Annika Sorenstam's finale on home turf, tying the course record with a nine-under 63 yesterday for a six-shot victory at the Scandinavian TPC.

The 37-year-old Sorenstam, who is retiring in December, eagled the par-four 17th to move into second place. But the Swedish Hall of Famer took a double-bogey on the last hole, hitting her tee shot in the water and three-putting. Sorenstam's disappointing finish before a packed gallery dropped her into a tie for sixth with three other Swedes.

Yang finished on 14-under par at the Frosaker Golf and Country Club. The South Korean, who trailed the leader by four shots going into the final round in the rain-shortened event, birdied seven out of 10 holes from the third to move atop the leaderboard. Yang stayed there, finishing with three straight birdies.

This was the 19-year-old Yang's first win as a pro. She won the ANZ Ladies Masters as a 16-year-old high school student in 2006, becoming the first amateur to win a major women's professional golf tournament in Australia. Yang's round of 63 tied the course record set earlier in the day by Minea Blomqvist of Finland, who shared second with Melodie Bourdy of France (66), overnight leader Lill Saether of Norway (73) and Maria Hjorth of Sweden (72). Sorenstam closed with a 72 to finish seven shots behind Yang.

The winner of 10 majors and 72 LPGA titles, Sorenstam is quitting the game after this season to get married, start a family and focus on her business and other golf interests. Sorenstam, who won this tournament six times between 1997 and 2006, will make her final competitive appearance in Europe in another Ladies European Tour event in Denmark in the first week of September before playing her last event, the Dubai Ladies Masters in early December.