(Sports Network) - Inbee Park closed with a two-under 71 Sunday to win her first professional title at the 63rd U.S. Women's Open. Park completed the championship at nine-under-par 283. This is her second USGA title as she also won the 2002 U.S. Girls' Junior. She also finished second in that event twice.

The 19-year-old Park carded her fourth sub-par round of the week to become the youngest winner in U.S. Women's Open history. Her closing 71 was the only sub- par round in the final nine twosomes on Sunday and she was the only player with four sub-par rounds on the week.

"I am a very honored to win this event. I still can't believe I did it," Park exclaimed afterwards. "It's just so amazing, I am so honored. It has been 10 years since I started playing golf and it finally happened, so I am excited about that."

Park first became interested in playing golf 10 years ago when she saw Se Ri Pak win this event at Blackwolf Run Golf Course.

"It is very, very special for me that I won this event. Everything's happening so quick it's almost scary," said Park, who collected $585,000 for the win.

Helen Alfredsson birdied the 18th hole Sunday to finish alone in second place at five-under-par 287 after closing with a two-over 75.

Second-round leader Angela Park closed with an even-par 73 to end in a tie for third with third-round leader Stacy Lewis (78) and In-Kyung Kim (75). That trio came in at four-under-par 288.

Annika Sorenstam, whose first LPGA Tour win came at this event in 1995, holed out for eagle on the par-five closing hole to shoot a five-over 78 and end in a tie for 24th place at plus-three.

"I was hoping for memories this week, but it was a different type of memory," said Sorenstam, who intends to retire at the end of the year. "But it's been a wonderful week. I've always loved this championship. To finish like that will stay in my mind forever."

Women's world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa again had a rough day shooting one-over 74. She finished in a tie for 31st at five-over-par 297.

Inbee Park got off to a flying start and that was the quick turning point. She chipped in for birdie on the first, then got up and down for birdie on the second to move to minus-nine and into a tie for the lead.

Lewis double-bogeyed the second to fall to minus-seven and out of a share of the lead. That gave Park a two-stroke advantage and she maintained that cushion with three straight pars.

Park tripped to bogeys on the sixth and eighth to fall back into a tie for the lead with Lewis at seven-under. However, Lewis also bogeyed the difficult eighth to slip one back.

After pars on nine and 10, Park drained an eight-foot birdie putt at 11. She made a tough par-saving putt at 12 to stay three ahead after Lewis bogeyed nine.

Park extended her lead at par-five 13th when her third stopped five feet from the cup and she rolled in the birdie putt.

She led by four at that point and did what you're supposed to do with a big lead, make pars. Park got up and down for par on 14, then two-putted for par at 15 and 16.

Park ran into a bit of trouble at 17 as her second stopped in a greenside bunker. She blasted to 25 feet and two-putted for bogey, but her lead was still four.

At the par-five closing hole, Park chipped her third within inches of the hole. After Alfredsson rolled home her closing birdie putt, Park kicked in her birdie to secure the win.

She became the fourth player to make the U.S. Women's Open her first title. Park also became the fifth person to win the U.S. Girls' Junior and the U.S. Women's Open.

"I really tried to stay calm, but it was just so exciting that I couldn't do it," Park admitted. "It was a very tough day with the wind. I was able to stay calm and I made a lot of good putts."

Alfredsson, a seven-time Solheim Cup performer, closed with six bogeys and three birdies, but it was enough to take second place.

"It was a tough day. I lost a few shots there early. Of course I three-putted, what, five times? Just not very good," admitted Alfredsson. "But it was just a grinding day, just fighting on every single shot."

Paula Creamer played alongside Lewis in the final group and struggled to a five-over 78. She dropped into a share of sixth place at three-under-par 289. Creamer finished alongside Mi Hyun Kim, Giulia Sergas and Nicole Castrale.

Reigning U.S. Women's Amateur champion Maria Jose Uribe tied Teresa Lu for 10th place at minus-two. Uribe joins Grace Park as the only two amateurs to finish under par in U.S. Women's Open history.



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