US OPEN champion Annika Sorenstam hit two golden birdies in the last three holes to snatch the Trygg Hansa Open title with a closing round of 69 at Haninge, near Stockholm, Sweden, yesterday

Sorenstam, from Sweden, scooped a £18,750 winner's cheque when her 13 under par aggregate of 279 left her one stroke clear of Britain's Joanne Morley and Alison Nicholas, with Lotta Neumann in fourth place a further shot behind.

Neumann, bidding for a hat-trick of victories, fell away when she dropped shots at the last three holes arid Sorenstam took full advantage to seal a third European title.

At the short 16th, Sorenstam rolled in a putt of 30ft for a birdie two. At the 18th, she hit a third shot to within eight feet of the flag for a winning birdie four.

Morley had been only one stroke off the lead at the start of the final round but slipped back when she bogeyed three out of four holes from the second.

Maureen Madill shot a five under par closing 67 to finish on 294, alongside Dubliner Aideen Rogers, who closed with a round of 74.