Ochoa cruises to British Open win

FINAL LEADERBOARD:
-5 L Ochoa (Mex)
-1 JY Lee (Kor), M Hjorth (Swe)
Level R Rankin (US)
+1 EH Ji, (Kor), SR Pak (Kor) Selected others:
+2 P Creamer (US), C Matthew (Sco)
+3 M McKay (Sco)
+4 B Brewerton (Wal), M Reid am (Eng), A Sorenstam (Swe)
+9 K Stupples (Eng)

Mexico's Lorena Ochoa strolled to her coronation as Ricoh Women's British Open champion after leading from start to finish at St Andrews.

The world number one clinched her maiden major title with a closing 74 for five under and a four-shot win.

South Korea's Jee Young Lee and Swede Maria Hjorth were second with American Reilley Rankin third at level par.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew (73) ended two over, while former world number one Annika Sorenstam (76) was four over.

"It's hard to describe but it was the most special round I've ever played," said Ochoa.

Popular American Paula Creamer also finished two over after a final-round 72 on her 21st birthday, with Scotland's Mhairi McKay (67) was three over and Wales' Becky Brewerton and English amateur Melissa Reid four over.

Ochoa, who took over from Sorenstam at the top of the women's game earlier this year, made three birdies in first nine holes but was never threatened. Her only minor scare was at the par-five 17th where she hit her second into a bunker and had to play out sideways en route to a bogey six.

But closest rivals Lee, Hjorth and Rankin could only manage rounds of two-under 71, while Matthew and Sorenstam blew their chances with poor third rounds.

Swede Linda Wessberg, six shots adrift in second overnight, dropped four shots in the last four holes to slip back to two over and a tie for seventh.

The event was the first women's professional tournament to be staged at St Andrews.

Source: BBC Sport