INQUIRER Sports

SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN, Arizona -- Lorena Ochoa retained her Safeway International crown in dominant fashion on Sunday, posting a seven-stroke victory in the $1.5 million LPGA event.

The world number one from Mexico, who led by one at the start of the round, fired a six-under-par 66 for a 22-under total of 266 -- four strokes better than her winning total last year.

South Korean Jee Young Lee, who birdied 18 for a 72, finished second at 15-under 273 with Finland's Minea Blomqvist third at 14-under 274 after a 67.

Ochoa, 26, notched her 19th LPGA title and her second of 2008. She opened her season with a victory in the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore earlier this month.

Former world number one Annika Sorenstam (70) finished in a tie for ninth at 11-under in a group that also included British veteran Laura Davies.

Ochoa never lost her lead on the final day. She was three ahead at the turn after four birdies on the front nine, and she added birdies at 13, 14, 15 and 18.

For 21-year-old Blomqvist, who won the 2004 Central European Open in Hungary on the Ladies' European Tour, it was easily her best LPGA finish in her second season on the US women's tour.

She had six birdies, including one at the final hole, to better her tie for eighth in the Franklin American Mortgage Championship in Nashville last year.