Ochoa edges determined Pettersen in Arizona
IN: News | LPGA | Safeway International (2007) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 26 Mar 2007
Lorena Ochoa staked her claim for the number one position in the female game when she grinded out a tough win over a determined Suzann Pettersen at the Safeway International near Phoenix today.
Ochoa is currently number three in the world and trails Sorenstam by some way but this victory will close the gap and should see the Mexican move ahead of Webb to be Sorenstam's closest challenger.
Ochoa was forced to birdie four of her last five holes today to get past Pettersen in what developed into a two horse race over the closing round.
After starting the final round four shots behind Ochoa, Pettersen raced to the turn in 31 and had taken the lead. Pettersen was at 15 under and Ochoa at 14 under and to all intents and purposes they had the tournament to themselves.
Both players birdied the 14th and the difference was still one but the Mexican raced ahead when she birded three of the following four holes and left Pettersen and the rest of the field in her wake.
For Ochoa it was a sweet victory given that she blew a four shot lead with three holes to play, two years ago in this very event. Then Annika Sorenstam beat her in a playoff but there would be no such repeat over the closing holes today.
"It is hard to tell you right now, but in 2005, it was a really tough day for me," she said in her post round interview. "It really hurt me, especially being here in Arizona, a pleasant place for me. I didn't like the feeling. It was just a hard one, and I thought I'm going to be back. So, this morning I was feeling good. The conditions were so perfect that I knew I could go low today. I just wanted to make sure to keep playing aggressive and try to make birdies. So, I was like, my mind is set, and I'm just really glad I did it, because I worked really hard, and this is a good way to start the year and keep it going."
Pettersen had started this event well twelve months ago and had a great chance leading into the weekend before struggling over the final 36 holes. Despite finishing second, the tournament has taken Pettersen's LPGA earnings past US$1 million in her career.
Ochoa will likely move back to the number two position in the female game as a result of her win, and the fact that the current world number two, Karrie Webb, surprisingly missed the cut.
On the eve of defending her 2006 Kraft Nabisco title, where she beat Ochoa in a playoff, her chances of a strong finish remains a mystery given what was a rather ordinary first two rounds this week.
Laura Diaz and Jeong Jang tied for third with Diaz recording her best finish in nearly two years.
Annika Sorenstam finished in 8th place, birdies at the last two holes perhaps enhancing what had been a less than impressive week for the three time winner of this event. Still it was not all bad and she heads to the Kraft with her game in reasonable shape after her runner up placing in Mexico and now this in her first two events of the season.
Rachel Hetherington was the best of the Australians and the only one to make the cut when she finished in 8th place and her best LPGA finish since the US Women's Open last year.
Photo - Anthony Powter
