FINAL LEADERBOARD US unless stated Level A Sorenstam (Swe), P Hurst * +2 S Prammanasudh, M Wie, SR Pak (Kor) +3 J Inkster +7 B Lincicome Selected others: +10 N Gulbis, P Creamer +11 C Matthew (Sco) +12 K Stupples (Eng) * Sorenstam won play-off

Sorenstam, who won in 1995 and 1996, won the play-off by four shots with a one-under round of 70, after leading by five shots at the turn.

It is only the second tournament the world number one has won this year.

"It's been a long wait and a long road. The way the season has gone, to win the Open is ironic," she said.

Sorenstam's margin of victory was the biggest play-off win since Kathy Cornelius won by seven shots 50 years ago.

It was the 10th major win of her career, which ties her fourth in the all-time standings with Babe Zaharias.

It also means Sorenstam has won a major in each of the last six years, the second-longest streak in LPGA history.

Michelle Wie, Stacy Prammanasudh and Se Ri Pak finished two shots off behind Sorenstam and Hurst, who was trying to become the first American to win a major since Meg Mallon's 2004 US Open triumph.

Weather delays meant the players had to play 36 holes on Sunday.

Sorenstam began the final round with two birdies but slumped going into the turn with double-bogey, bogey, bogey from the seventh to let in Hurst.

But the Swede caught and passed the 37-year-old with birdies on 10, 15 and 16 before a bogey at the short 17th brought them level again.

Hurst scrambled a good par out of the right rough on 18 as Sorenstam shaved the hole with her 20ft birdie putt to bring about the play-off.

Scot Catriona Matthew was the best of the British players in 19th place after final-day rounds of 72 and 73. She was one ahead of Kent's Karen Stupples, who had rounds of 70 and 76.