HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — A long and memorable day for Anna Nordqvist ended with a well-deserved champagne shower on the 18th green.

Playing in only her fifth professional tournament, Nordqvist shot a 4-under 68 yesterday to win the LPGA Championship by four strokes. She finished at 15-under 273.

Meanwhile, fellow rookie Michelle Wie of Hawai'i, continued to give her sizable gallery reason to cheer.

Wie, who made a hole-in-one Saturday, started her final round with an eagle on the par-4, 358-yard hole.

Never mind the three double bogeys and eight bogeys, all of which contributed to a 2-under 287 and a 23rd-place tie. As far as the Punahou School alum was concerned, there was absolutely nothing to complain about.

"I felt like I played great. I really don't think the score reflected my game," Wie said, shortly after a bogey on No. 18 capped her final-round 70.

"I feel like I did really well, I feel like I was swinging really well. Everything felt pretty positive," she said. "I just couldn't get anything going, and some of the putts didn't drop. A couple of sprayed shots here and there (hurt)."

There were also some incredibly accurate shots, such as the one off the fairway on the first hole yesterday.

"I think it's definitely a reflection of how good I was hitting my irons," Wie said. "I thought I was going to hole a couple more today, but it's fun to start off a round like that."

In contrast, Nordqvist watched a five-shot lead dwindle to one before rebounding with a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 14 and a 35-foot birdie putt on No. 15 that essentially clinched her first career win.

"I just kept being patient. I think that's really what paid off at the end," the 22-year-old Swede said.

Runner-up Lindsey Wright, who shot a 70, said, "It was amazing. Under that amount of pressure, not being in that position before and in a major and being a rookie? You can't get any better than that."

Nordqvist completed the final four holes of the suspended third round, then teed off as part of the final twosome. She took a two-shot lead into the fourth round, increased the margin and held on to earn the $300,000 top prize.

"Obviously, it's a great feeling. It's been an incredible week," Nordqvist said. "I had so much fun."