DUEL AT THE DEPOT PAK HOLDS OFF SORENSTAM IN DRAMATIC BACK-AND-FORTH FINAL ROUND.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

Se Ri Pak says she hopes someday to be as good a golfer as No. 1 in the world Annika Sorenstam.

She took a giant step in that direction Sunday, holding off Sorenstam in a stirring duel at Tarzana's El Caballero Country Club to win the $1 million Office Depot Championship by one stroke.

``I hit some bad shots, but I was pretty good and pretty much hung in there,'' said the 24-year-old Korean, who finished 7-under par at 68-68-73-209 on a day of surge and countersurge with Sorenstam (71-68-71-210).

Laura Diaz, also playing in the final group, finished third at 71-69-73-213, but no other player came within four shots of the lead on a day Pak proved both persistent and resilient.

She took a three-stroke lead over defending champion Sorenstam into the final round, fell behind by a stroke before the sixth hole, then forged another three-stroke lead before holding off a late Sorenstam charge in the LPGA's best final-round matchup of the year.

This one had more going for it than a high-profile final-group pairing of two players who had combined to win three of the past five major championships and seven majors overall.

Dramatic putts, scoring shifts, scrambling escapes, even a near hole-in-one by Pak - all witnessed by an appreciative gallery that swelled to nearly 3,000 for most of the final nine holes.

``I felt like this was a major with the crowd that was out here,'' said Sorenstam, who entered Sunday with 11 comeback victories among her 33 career tour wins, threatened to make it 12 successful comebacks and exited fully content with her effort.

``I mean it was exciting and fun today,'' she said after a closing effort that produced her 16th sub-par score in 18 rounds this year. ``I played great golf overall and it was fun to play with Se Ri. It was a good day for both of us, and I still had a few chances out there, but I am happy with my game and with the last few holes I played.''

The last few holes proved significant for both players, starting with No. 14, when Pak saved par from a greenside bunker to prevent Sorenstam from getting within a stroke.

``It gave me a lot of confidence,'' Pak said, ``and I knew Annika wasn't going to win the tournament.''

Minutes later, it looked more like that, as Sorenstam lipped out a par attempt on No. 16 and Pak had a three-stroke lead with two holes to play.

But the 31-year-old Swede promptly reminded the sizable gallery how she had rallied from 10 shots off the lead in the final round to win this tournament last year at Wilshire Country Club.

Her 7-iron second shot to the water-fronted green on the 463-yard, par-5 17th set up a 20-foot eagle opportunity.

Sorenstam, who has won four major championships and as many LPGA Player of the Year awards, made sure she took time to appreciate the moment.

``I was standing there on 17,'' she said, ``and I have 165 to the pin with water on the left, and it was then I told my caddie that this is why we are here.''

Sorenstam came up just short on her eagle attempt but made birdie, and when Pak bogeyed the hole, it was a one-stroke difference as they walked to the 18th tee.

Both hit solid drives, but Pak got closer with her approach on that 400-yard, par-4 finishing hole. Sorenstam barely missed birdie on a curving putt from 30 feet, and then Pak came even closer, leaving her 20-foot birdie bid on the lip for a par that secured her first victory of the year, sixth in two years and 14th of her LPGA career.

``She's really a consistent player, so I knew she wouldn't just back off easily,'' Pak said. ``But I was not just going to give my trophy away.''

Pak proved as tenacious in overtaking Sorenstam's only lead Sunday. After Sorenstam birdied the 349-yard, par-4 fifth hole to get to 7-under par, Pak followed with a near hole-in-one on the 168-yard sixth, settling for a four-foot birdie putt that moved her back into a share of the lead.

Shortly after, Sorenstam bogeyed the 181-yard, par-3 eighth and Pak parred to regain a lead she would hold the rest of the way - if barely at the finish.

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Photo:

(1 -- 2) Se Ri Pak hoists the Office Depot Championship trophy Sunday. Below, Pak blasts out of the sand on No. 12.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer