Portland, Ore. ? After sinking an 11-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the Safeway Classic, Annika Sorenstam finally showed some emotion.

Known for her composure under pressure, Sorenstam had just won her eighth LPGA Tour title of the year and had held off a considerable challenge from Kate Golden.

“When I made that putt I felt some tears coming down,” Sorenstam said. “It was my eighth win, same as last year.”

Sorenstam closed with a 4-under 68 to beat Golden by a stroke, with both player birdieing the final hole.

The Swedish star has 10 worldwide victories this year, winning three straight events entering the Solheim Cup matches between Europe and the United States in Minnesota.

She won the Compaq Open in Sweden on Aug. 18 and returned to the tour last week to win the Williams Championship in Tulsa, Okla.

Sorenstam’s final birdie putt gave her a brief two-stroke lead over Golden and assured her the victory. After the putt fell, she raised her hands to her head in relief and nodded to the cheering gallery.

Golden, who overcame a six-stroke deficit to Sorenstam last September in the final round of the State Farm Classic en route to her first LPGA Tour title, went on to sink her own 10-foot birdie putt to finish with a bogey-free 65.

Sorenstam earned $150,000 for her 39th LPGA Tour victory to break her own single-season tour record with $2,211,991 in 17 events. She set the record last year with $2,105,868 in 26 events, when she also won eight times and became the first female player to shoot a 59 in official competition.