By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
PORTLAND, Ore.
South Korea's Soo-Yun Kang won for the first time on the LPGA Tour, shooting a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a four-stroke victory in the Safeway Classic.
Kang, who led by three strokes after the first two rounds, finished with a 15-under 201 total in brilliant sunny conditions at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.
Women's British Open winner Jeong Jang shot a 70 to finish second, and Gloria Park was five strokes back after a 71.
Kang, wearing flashy black-and-white capri pants, frequently smiled and laughed _ comfortable in the final group that included compatriots Jang and Park.
She bogeyed the final hole but had built such a lead that it didn't matter. After she punched the sky in victory, a pair of her friends _ U.S. Open winner Birdie Kim and Grace Park _ showered her with champagne.
Kang is in her third full season on the LPGA Tour.
"I waited so long, for the past three years," she said through a translator. "I thought about it I guess like I was in a slump for three years and I worked really hard on it."
Her previous best finish this season came at the other Safeway _ the Safeway International back in March. Kang was a shot back of leader Lorena Ochoa going into the final round, but tied for third at Superstition Mountain Country Club. Annika Sorenstam won it in a playoff with Ochoa.
Kang's career best was a tie for second at the Takefuji Classic in 2003. Before joining the LPGA Tour full time, she was the top money winner for two years on the Korea LPGA tour.
Joo Mi Kim shot a 71 to finish at 8 under. Tour veteran Beth Daniel and Sung Ah Yim were 7 under.
Rosie Jones, who finished in a group at 6 under, was treated with a warm ovation when she putt for par on No. 18. The 45-year-old says she will retire from full-time play at the end of this year.
"I love this golf course. I was coming around the 15th hole and I saw those big trees out there and I thought, `This might be the last time I see this,'" Jones said. "And that's sad."
Because of scheduling conflicts, Sorenstam wasn't among those playing at Columbia Edgewater. She won the 2002 and 2003 tournaments.
Last year, Hee-Won Han birdied the 18th hole at Columbia Edgewater to pull even with Canadian Lorie Kane, then birdied the hole again to win the playoff for her third LPGA title.
The Portland event was one of six full-field events remaining on the LPGA Tour schedule and one of two tournaments before the U.S. Solheim Cup team is named.
The final word on the team will come Aug. 28 after the Wendy's Championship in Dublin, Ohio.
The top 10 players qualify for the team, and captain Nancy Lopez gets two additional choices. Cristie Kerr went into the Safeway Classic leading the standings.
Kerr and Carin Koch were among those who did not make the cut among 144 players who game to Portland. Seventy-five players were at 1 over or better to play Sunday.
Australian Karrie Webb caused a bit of a stir on the 12th hole of the final round when she took a camera from a photographer _ apparently a member of the media who was clicking off shots in Webb's backswing.
The camera was returned to the photographer at the end of the round.
South Korea's Soo-Yun Kang won for the first time on the LPGA Tour, shooting a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a four-stroke victory in the Safeway Classic.