Unstoppable Ochoa steamrolls Safeway field
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2007 Safeway Classic | Round Three | 27 Aug 2007
Lorena Ochoa has added the Safeway Classic title to consecutive victories at the British Open and the Canadian Open today, as well as extending her huge lead on the 2007 money list even further. Three victories in a row and six for the season – it is fair to assume there are perhaps several more to come for her in 2007.
Ochoa won the US$1.7 million, 54 hole event in Portland, Oregon by five shots over a group of players including In Bee Park, Sophie Gustafson, Cristina Park, and Mhairi McKay. Her nearest rival, Gustafson, dropped four shots in the last five holes to lose any chance of challenging for the title.
After two early bogeys, Ochoa quickly got things back on track and by the turn she had extended her overnight one shot lead to two and as Gustafson challenge fell away, Ochoa had another comfortable walk over the closing few holes. Ochoa has a collective 12 shot winning margin in her last three events so a comfortable walk over the closing holes in events is becoming the norm for the charismatic Mexican.
With her closest rival on the money list, Suzann Pettersen playing and winning in Norway this week, Ochoa now has a US$1,762,627 lead on the money list and a lot more to come. Her lead on the Rolex Women’s World Rankings will be extended even further over Karrie Webb.
The best of the Australians was Lindsey Wright who finished 17th, Katherine Hull and Karrie Webb 28th and Michelle Ellis 50th.
The LPGA Tour will now move back east to Illinois for this week’s State Farm Classic.
