Kerr claims US Women's Open win

Kerr had won 10 titles before victory at Pine Needles

FINAL LEADERBOARD:
-5 C Kerr (US)
-3 A Park (Bra), L Ochoa (Mex)
-2 SR Pak (Kor), IB Park (US)
Selected others:
+5 C Matthew (Sco)
+8 A Sorenstam (Swe), L Davies (Eng)
+10 B Morgan (Wal), J Moodie (Sco)

American Cristie Kerr claimed her first major title with victory at the US Women's Open at Pine Needles on Sunday.

Kerr, 29, fired a closing 70 for five under to win by two from Brazilian rookie Angela Park (70) and world number one Lorena Ochoa of Mexico (71).

Korea's Se Ri Pak and American In-Bee Park were tied on two under.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew was the best European at five over, as former world number one Annika Sorenstam and Laura Davies were eight over.

Kerr finished her delayed third-round with a 66 for a one-stroke lead on Sunday morning before holding off Ochoa over the closing holes to claim a 10th career title.

"Today was my day," Kerr said. "To hold it together down the stretch and make all those putts all week, it was really unbelievable."

Kerr birdied the 3rd and bogeyed the 5th, but holed a 20-foot birdie putt at the par-four 14th to take a one-stroke lead over the threatening Ochoa.

The Mexican opened with birdies at the 1st and 3rd and then made 13 pars in a row.

But a bogey at the 17th handed Kerr a two-stoke lead and deprived her of a chance for a maiden major title.

Kerr's near misses in previous majors included runner-up finishes at last year's Women's British Open and the 2000 US Women's Open, third places at the Kraft Nabisco in 2002 and 2005 and five other top-five major finishes.