PALM DESERT , Calif. , Oct. 14, 2007 – Lorena Ochoa used a final round 66 to successfully defend her title at the Samsung World Championship on Sunday at the CANYONS Course at BIGHORN Golf Club. Ochoa put together four rounds of 68-67-69-66=270 (-18) to notch a four-shot victory over South Korean Mi-Hyun Kim (68-70-67-69=274).

“It was a really good day today. I'm proud of myself because I was patient even with the things that happened in the previous day,” said Ochoa, who earned a $250,000 paycheck with her win. “Today was a great day right from the start. It was one of those days that you see things clear, and you feel a good rhythm and hitting good tee shots. So it was a great day and winning two in a row, I'm going to keep this trophy in a special place.”

With her four-shot victory, Ochoa also clinched Rolex Player of the Year honors.

It is Ochoa's second consecutive Rolex Player of the Year award. The win was worth 30 points in the Rolex Player of the Year race, giving her 360 points and a 195-point advantage over Suzann Pettersen. Even if Pettersen plays the final five LPGA Tour events and wins each one, she would not be able to catch Ochoa. Each win is worth 30 points and a win at the ADT Championship is worth 60.

“That's great news,” said the Rolex Rankings number one following her round. “It's been a great 2007. After what happened in 2006, I thought it would be hard to improve. But here I am, I set some goals at the beginning of the year, and I wanted to get better, and I wanted to win more tournaments and to be better with some categories on the LPGA, and I'm doing good. So I cannot ask for anything else.”

Ochoa has won seven times this year and has turned in yet another remarkable season on the LPGA Tour. Earlier this year Ochoa made history, becoming the first player in LPGA history to pass the $3 million mark in season earnings. She currently sits atop the LPGA Official Money List with $3,318,421 in earnings this year. Ochoa has recorded five runner-up finishes and 19 top-10 finishes, including 16 top-five finishes, in 22 starts this year. Her $9,387,643 in career earnings ranks fifth all-time on the LPGA Official Career Earnings list.

With five events left on the LPGA schedule, Ochoa also has a 1.2825 advantage (69.6203 to 70.9028) in the Vare Trophy standings over Paula Creamer. Ochoa also leads the LPGA Official Money List by $1,951,362 over Pettersen. She once again has the chance to pick up Rolex Player of the Year along with the Vare Trophy and the LPGA Official Money List title for the second consecutive year.

Ochoa will look to claim her eighth win next week at the Hana Bank-KOLON Championship in South Korea.