Lincicome wins when Ochoa fades

Brittany Lincicome entered the final round of the Ginn Open at Reunion, Fla., believing that par would be a sensational score.

How right she was.

Lincicome, who started four shots behind Lorena Ochoa and Laura Davies, survived a blustery day and a six-hour round to shoot an even-par 72 – enough to give the 21-year-old her second career LPGA Tour victory.

She finished at 10 under Sunday, one shot better than Ochoa (77) – who was 6 over on her final six holes, a stunning collapse that cost her an opportunity to pass Annika Sorenstam for the top spot in the world rankings. Only a win would have pushed Ochoa to No. 1, but she missed a 10-foot bogey try on 18 that would have forced a playoff.

The 21-year-old Lincicome, the Women’s World Match Play winner last year, earned $390,000 for the win.

Davies (79) had the outright lead with two holes to play, but three-putted her way to double bogey at the 17th and then bounced around bunkers for a disastrous triple bogey at the last. She finished alone in third at 7 under, one shot better than Juli Inkster (72) and Nicole Castrale (74).

Verizon Heritage

The final round of the Verizon Heritage was suspended until today after Harbour Town at Hilton Head Island, S.C., was hit by wind so strong that a tournament marshal was hit by a falling tree limb.

Today’s final round will be the tournament’s first Monday finish since Jose Coceres beat Billy Mayfair in a playoff in 2001.

William Millon was hit by the branch between the first and ninth holes. He was talkative, conscious and alert when he left for Hilton Head Regional Medical Center in an ambulance, tournament spokesman Arnie Burdick said. Millon was later released with minor injuries, Verizon Heritage tournament director Steve Wilmot said.

China Open

Austria’s Markus Brier won the China Open at Shanghai, closing with a 4-under 67 for a five-stroke victory.

Brier birdied the 18th, his fifth birdie of the day at the Shanghai Silport Golf Club course, to finish at 10-under 274. Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (69), South Africa’s Andrew McLardy (70) and Australia’s Scott Hend (71) tied for second.