PALM DESERT, Calif. — Moments after Lorena Ochoa tapped in for par on the 18th, she saw her family and friends storming the green at Bighorn. Her cousin wrapped a Mexican flag around her, and everyone else soaked her with champagne, just as they do whenever she wins.

No LPGA victory tasted sweeter than yesterday at the Samsung World Championship.

Ochoa took a huge step toward winning LPGA Tour player of the year, collecting all the big awards and possibly ushering in a new era in women's golf. And she did it by soundly beating Annika Sorenstam, turning a three-shot deficit into a two-shot victory with a 7-under 65.

"It was probably my best round of golf in my professional career," Ochoa said.

Michelle Wie, the 17-year-old from Honolulu had more trouble in the desert and finished with a 75, her worst score on the LPGA Tour this year and her eighth consecutive round without breaking par.

Wie finished 17th in the 20-player field, earning $12,578.

"Obviously, I'm not feeling as wonderful as I did," Wie said. "Like I said before, sometimes we have to take a step back in order to move forward. This is the time of year you don't play that great, your best, and all of a sudden you play good. I feel that's coming in me."

Her final event of the year is the Casio World Open on the Japanese tour the week of Thanksgiving.

Ochoa's victory was a jolt to Sorenstam.

The 36-year-old Swede has dominated women's golf the last five years until this season. She contended in only one major, winning the U.S. Women's Open, has won only three times and needed to finish the year strong to be LPGA player of the year for the sixth consecutive season.

Leading by three shots going into the final round, and by two shots at the turn, Sorenstam was rendered helpless by Ochoa, one of the most dynamic players in the game. Ochoa twice holed long putts, including a 60-footer for birdie at No. 10 that banged into the back of the cup, then briefly hopped out before falling.

"I really don't know what to say other than just to congratulate Lorena on a great performance and a great week and a great year," Sorenstam said after closing with a 70 that featured three bogeys. "I'm probably as disappointed as you can be. It just doesn't get any worse than this. I gave it all I had this week. She just played very, very well."

Ochoa finished at 16-under 272 for her fifth victory of the year, tops on the LPGA Tour.

She took a commanding lead in the points-based Player of the Year award — Sorenstam or Karrie Webb likely would have to win their last two tournaments to have any chance of catching her.

Ochoa earned $218,750 to take her earnings over $2.3 million, although the season-ending ADT Championship pays $1 million to the winner.

Even so, the biggest prize was beating Sorenstam. They had played only two times in the final group, with Sorenstam beating Ochoa in Phoenix last year and in Sweden this summer.