LOS ANGELES (AP) – Annika Sorenstam won her 50th LPGA Tour title, birdieing three of the final five holes Sunday for a 3-under 69 and a three-stroke victory in the Office Depot Championship.

The LPGA Hall of Famer, also the tournament winner in 2001 and 2003 and the runner-up in 2002, had a 9-under 207 total.

Ashli Bunch closed with a 65 to tie for second with Meg Mallon at 6 under. Mallon, two shots off Sorenstam’s lead beginning the day, shot a 70.

Sorenstam, who came on the LPGA Tour full time in 1994, led all three days of the tournament, although Bunch tied her at the top briefly during the final round. Sorenstam pulled away when she found her putting touch down the stretch.

Bunch, winless since coming on the tour in 1999, had pulled even at 6 under with Sorenstam, who was finishing No. 13 while Bunch was completing her round.

Sorenstam made sure it didn’t stay tied. At par for the day when she stepped up to a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 14, she sank it to go to 7-under, built a two-shot lead with another 12-foot birdie on No. 16, then added a tap-in birdie on the next hole.

By then, she was smiling and looking relaxed. As she walked up the 18th fairway, Sorenstam and Mallon shared a laugh and pats on the back.

The 28-year-old Bunch, who had never finished higher than fourth, just missed a birdie putt on the 18th that would have given her the lead.

She tapped in for par, and she and Isabelle Beisiegel both had closing 65s, the lowest score in the three years the tournament has been played at El Caballero Country Club.

Sorenstam became the second fastest to 50 wins on the LPGA Tour. She reached the milestone in 10 years, three months and 19 days. Mickey Wright won her 50th when she had been on the tour for eight years, eight months and 21 days.

Kathy Whitworth holds the record for total wins with 88.

Sorenstam, 13th last week in the Kraft Nabisco, won for the third time in her four tournaments this year. She began by winning a non-tour event in Australia, then won the tour stop in Arizona two weeks ago.

The Swedish star proved again that she’s tough to beat when she’s in front heading into the final round. She’s led 53 times with 18 holes to go, and has won 34 of those.

The wire-to-wire win was the seventh of her career.

Rosie Jones, tied with Mallon two shots behind the leader beginning the last round, struggled to a 79 that dropped her into a tie for 26th.

Pak, who tied for second in the tournament a year ago, tied for 13th this time, 10 shots behind Sorenstam. Last week’s Kraft Nabisco winner, Grace Park, finished in a tie for 17th at 218.

AP-ES-04-04-04 1924EDT