By COLIN FLY
Associated Press Writer
FRANKLIN, Tenn.
Stacy Prammanasudh made consecutive birdies at Nos. 16-17 to pull away from defending champion Lorena Ochoa and win her first LPGA Tour title at the Franklin American Mortgage Championship on Sunday.
Prammanasudh made back-to-back birdies twice in the final round and closed with a 3-under 69 for a 14-under 274 total to become the first first-time winner on tour this season.
"It's more work trying to keep my emotions in check," she said. "I feel great, I really don't know if I believe it yet."
Ochoa birdied No. 18 for a 70 to move to 11 under. Cristie Kerr (68), Christina Kim (69) and Catriona Matthew (71) tied for third at 9 under. Heather Bowie (72), Rachel Hetherington (67) and Karrie Webb (70) were at 4 under.
Ochoa, the rising Mexican star, and Prammanasudh had squared off in college when Ochoa was ranked No. 1 and Prammanasudh a distant No. 2. Ochoa won 12 collegiate titles in two seasons at Arizona, while Prammanasudh won 10 titles in her four years at Tulsa.
This time, Prammanasudh prevailed, playing much the same way Ochoa did last season when she won two LPGA events: staying in the fairway and using an accurate short game to set up easy putts.
The 25-year-old Prammanasudh, who had her father as her caddie, made a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-4 sixth to move to 11 under. Meanwhile, Ochoa pushed her 80-foot birdie 12 feet past the hole and failed to save par, falling to 9 under.
At the par-5 seventh, Prammanasudh failed to reach the green with her second shot, but nearly holed her chip from the fringe and tapped in for birdie to reach 12 under.
Ochoa, making her first title defense, tried to cut into the lead at No. 8, but her 7-foot birdie putt lipped out. She also missed birdie opportunities at the 10th, 15th, 16th and 17th.
Prammanasudh, who made just one bogey in the final round, sank a 10-foot birdie at No. 16 to move to 13 under. She leaned into the putt just after it left the club, and the ball tumbled in off the right lip.
At the par-4 17th, she spun a wedge more than 20 feet back to within 6 feet and made the birdie putt to extend her lead to four strokes at 14 under.
Prammanasudh, who finished a career-best third in this event last year, hit more than 90 percent of the fairways and nearly 90 percent of the greens in regulation for the tournament. She earned $150,000 for the victory after coming into the season with a little more than $400,000 in career earnings.
Stacy Prammanasudh made consecutive birdies at Nos. 16-17 to pull away from defending champion Lorena Ochoa and win her first LPGA Tour title at the Franklin American Mortgage Championship on Sunday.