Ochoa cruises to Canadian Open victory
IN: News | LPGA | Canadian Women's Open (2007) | Round Four | by Bruce Young | 20 Aug 2007
In yet another brilliant display, Lorena Ochoa has claimed her fifth title of the LPGA Tour season and the 14th of her career when she won the CN Canadian Open by three shots over Paula Creamer in Edmonton, Alberta.
Ochoa’s four shot overnight lead was reduced to three but there was only a brief moment when her domination of the event was in question, when her closest pursuer, Creamer, birdied the 11th hole today to move within two. No sooner had she done that than the Mexican birdied the 12th and the lead was again three and then went out to five after Creamer bogeyed the 14th and Ochoa birdied the 15th.
There was one further two shot swing when Creamer birdied the 17th while Ochoa dropped a shot but by that stage the world number one had the luxury of playing the last with a three shot lead.
“It feels very good,” said Ochoa later. “I’m very happy. It was just a great day today. It wasn’t easy. I didn’t feel very comfortable in the morning. I wasn’t in a rhythm on the front nine, and Paula made a couple birdies to narrow the difference. And then we made the turn, and then I started feeling strong. I made a good birdie on No. 12 to get good momentum, and I think from there things kind of changed in my way to finish with a good margin.”
Referring to the fact that she was winning her second consecutive event Ochoa said, “When you win a golf tournament, the next week it’s really tough because a lot of things happen, a lot of interviews, you are tired physically and mentally. This is my fifth season and I’ve been learning through the years. And I think at this point I’m ready to, instead of struggling the week after, just be able to carry that good momentum and keep it going.”
Shi Hyun Ahn finished third after four birdies in her last six holes swept her to a final round of 66 and ahead of Brittany Lang, who finished alone in fourth place after she too had produced a good final round of 67.
Ochoa has taken a huge lead on the LPGA Tour money list, the first prize cheque of US$337,000 taking her to US$2,636,000 and more than US$1.5 million ahead of her nearest rival, Suzann Pettersen. Even when Annika Sorenstam was dominating the LPGA Tour, there was never quite the same gap between the first and second players on the money list and it is hard to imagine that things are going to change much in the remaining events of the season.
The best of the Australians was Karrie Webb, who finished 18th despite a second round of 64. Rachel Hetherington was 26th, Wendy Doolan 34th, Lindsey Wright 58th and Michelle Ellis 64th.
The LPGA Tour now moves to the Safeway Classic in Portland, Oregon.
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