World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa posted her second successful title defense of the year by easily winning the US$1 million LPGA Samsung World Championship on Sunday.
Ochoa started the round tied with Norway's Suzann Pettersen before going on to shoot a six-under 66 for 18-under 270 and her seventh title of the year.
"I have been trying to get my seventh victory for a couple of weeks," said Ochoa, who clinched the Player of the Year Award. "I like being on top, and I am going to continue to work hard."
"Everything is coming together," she said. "I understand myself a lot better, and I know how to handle the pressure."
She finished with seven birdies and made one bogey for a four-stroke win over South Korea's Kim Mi-hyun, who shot a three-under 69 and finished at 14-under 274.
Pettersen, who overcame Ochoa on the second hole of sudden death playoff to win the Longs Drugs Challenge last week, shot even-par 72 to finish six shots adrift at the Palm Springs-area Bighorn Golf Club.
South Korean Jang Jeong was in a group of three golfers that began the round a stroke behind Ochoa and Pettersen.
While the other two stumbled, Jang's strong play enabled her to tie Ochoa on the ninth hole.
The Mexican birdied the 10th to reclaim the lead, and that lead doubled when Jang bogeyed 13.
Ochoa extended the lead to four with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15, and Jang lost her shot at second place with a bogey at 17, while Kim birdied the final hole to grab the runner-up spot.
Kim who ranks 114th on the tour in driving distance, admitted her finish was something of a surprise on a course she considers more suited to long hitters.
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