Webb's record margin

Karrie Webb, of Australia, emphatically confirmed her status as the leading player in the women's game on Sunday with the most overwhelming victory in the 29-year history of the Nabisco Championship.

Webb won for the fifth time in six starts this year, coasting to a 10-stroke triumph in the first major championship of the year on the LPGA Tour. The largest previous victory at this event was eight strokes by Amy Alcott in 1981.

The 1999 Player of the Year began the day with an eight-stroke lead and finished 10 clear of the defending champion, Dottie Pepper, following a final-round 70. It was the second major of Webb's five-year career following her triumph at the Du Maurier Classic in 1999.

The Australian celebrated by taking a dip in the water alongside the 18th green and was joined there by her caddie and the pop star, Celine Dion, after winning the $187,500 (£115,000) first prize. "It's such a rewarding feeling for all the hard work," said the 25-year-old.

Aree Wongluekiet, the 13-year-old amateur from Thailand, finished tied for 10th, after shooting a three-over-par 75 which included a two-stroke penalty when her ball moved on the 14th green after she had addressed her putt. Trish Johnson, of Britain, was disqualified after forgetting to sign her scorecard.

Leading final scores from the Nabisco Championship in California (USA unless stated):

274 K Webb (Aus) 67 70 67 70 (187,500) 284 D Pepper 68 72 72 72 (116,366) 285 M Mallon 75 70 73 67 (84,915) 286 C Johnston-Forbes 74 71 71 70, M Redman 73 73 69 71 287 H Dobson (GB) 73 74 72 68, C Johnson 73 68 73 72 288 R Jones 74 71 74 69, K Saiki 72 77 68 71 289 J Lidback (Per) 75 72 74 68, W Doolan (Aus) 73 73 69 74, P Hurst 72 72 70 75, (a) A Wongluekiet (Tha) 75 71 68 75 290 K Albers 77 71 72 70 291 S R Pak (Kor) 73 71 77 70, J Moodie (GB) 74 72 70 75 292 S Steinhauer 73 71 77 71, C Sorenstam (Swe) 75 75 70 72, A Sorenstam (Swe) 76 72 73 71, K Robbins 79 69 73 71, K Higo (Jpn) 76 72 73 71, J Inkster 76 71 74 71, N Bowen 75 72 73 72, N Scranton 78 70 71 73, C Koch (Swe) 79 70 70 73, B Mucha 77 71 70 74

Other scores included:

293 C Matthew (GB) 72 77 73 71, A Nicholas (GB) 71 74 74 74 294 C McMillan (GB) 73 74 74 73 295 L Davies (GB) 71 74 78 73 299 C Nilsmark (Swe) 77 71 76 75, E Dahloff (Swe) 78 73 74 74, H Alfredsson (Swe) 72 77 77 73 301 K Marshall (GB) 77 74 74 76 306 L Neumann (Swe) 75 74 75 82 DQ T Johnson (GB) 72 71 78