Nordqvist beats Ochoa in Houston
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2009 LPGA Tour Championship | Round Four | 23 Nov 2009
LPGA rookie Anna Nordqvist won her second tournament of the LPGA season, producing a last round of 65 to beat Lorena Ochoa by two shots in the weather interrupted and delayed LPGA Tour Championship at the Houstonian Golf Club in Richmond in Texas.
The tall Swede broke through for her first LPGA win at the second major of the year when winning the McDonald’s LPGA Championship earlier in the season and now this victory takes her season’s earnings to US$871,000. In any other year her efforts would have been enough to earn a rookie of the year title but Ji Yai Shin’s amazing first season has secured the Korean that honour.
Nordqvist lives in Scottsdale in Arizona having attended Arizona State University prior to turning professional late last year. Give the significance of her first season, the 22 year old appears on track for a career to rival the likes of fellow Swedes Annika Sorenstam, Sophie Gustafson and Maria Hjorth.
Ochoa held on to second place ahead of the fast finishing Na Yeon Choi and long time leader Kristy McPherson and in doing so secured the Player of the Year title for the fourth consecutive season. Ochoa narrowly edged out Ji Yai Shin for that much sought after title. Shin has however won both the Money list and Rookie of the Year titles.
The tournament was completed on Monday (US time) after severe rain earlier in the week had at one stage threatened the possibility of the event even finishing.
Of the Australians, Katherine Hull was 20th, Sarah Jane Smith 41st, Karrie Webb and Wendy Doolan 50th, Rachel Hetherington 60th, Lindsey Wright 68th and Anna Rawson 78th. Sarah Kemp completed three rounds but was disqualified.
Webb finished as the leading Australian on the ADT money list in 12th position with US$968,000. Lindsey Wright was 18th with US$734,000.
