HUIXQUILUCAN, Mexico (AP) – Annika Sorenstam rallied to win her first LPGA Tour event of the year, shooting a 4-under 68 in windy conditions Sunday for a three-stroke victory in the inaugural MasterCard Classic.

Sorenstam had eight birdies – five in a row on Nos. 2-6 – to offset four bogeys on the high-altitude Bosque Real Country Club course.

The Swedish star, also playing for the first time since filing for divorce from David Esch, won her 57th LPGA Tour title, finishing at 7-under 209. Last year, she won eight tour events and two international titles.

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” Sorenstam said. “I wanted everybody to know that I’m ready to play and ready to go.”

Karrie Webb, the ANZ Ladies Masters winner last week in Australia, had a 70 to finish second. Second-round leader Cristie Kerr shot a 75 to match South Korea’s Hee-Won Han (71) at 3 under, and Mexican star Lorena Ochoa (68) rallied to finish fifth at 2 under. Rookie Paula Creamer (68) and Michelle Redman (72) were 1 under.

The tournament was the first LPGA Tour event in Mexico since 1975.

The wind kicked up to 20 mph in the afternoon, complicating long approaches at the course, on a hill overlooking the 7,400-foot high Mexican capital.

“The wind was gusting tremendously,” Sorenstam said.

After the five straight birdies, Sorenstam bogeyed three consecutive holes. On No. 9, she hit over the green and into a water hazard.

“I was trying to play aggressive,” she said. “I hit a 5-iron and it just seems like the wind took it and it went way too far.”

But she had little trouble turning things around, holing three birdies on the back nine for her 18th career comeback victory.

Sorenstam earned $180,000 for the victory, her second straight tour win. She finished last season with a victory in the ADT Championship in November.

Webb, coming off a victory last Sunday in the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia, had six birdies and four bogeys on her way to a 70 and a check for US$109,590.

“I struggled a little bit with feeling comfortable out there today,” she said.

Hundreds of fans followed Guadalajara-native Ochoa throughout the three-day tournament, and she said the extra attention made things tough some of the time. But the 23-year-old star said she was happy that her strong performance Sunday was good enough for a fifth-place finish.

“I was on a roll out there,” Ochoa said.

She had seven birdies, a bogey and a double bogey on 16, where she said she “misjudged the wind.”

AP-ES-03-06-05 1952EST