Ochoa returns for SemGroup Championship
IN: News | LPGA | SemGroup Championship (2008) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 30 Apr 2008
Lorena Ochoa returns to the LPGA Tour this week for the SemGroup Championship at the Cedar Ridge Country Club in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, looking to add a fifth consecutive title and her sixth in seven starts in 2008.
The Joe Finger 1968 designed Cedar Ridge layout measures as one of the longer ones on the LPGA Tour but surprisingly it was one of the shorter hitters, Mi Hyun Kim who won last year. The Korean defeated Juli Inkster in a playoff after they had finished one shot ahead of Ai Miyazato and Angel Stanford.
The presence of Ochoa will ensure extensive support not only locally but from a worldwide golfing audience looking to see just how long the winning run of the Mexican can last. With a week off to recharge the batteries and a good record at this course in the times she has played the event, there is every reason to believe that streak should continue. Ochoa finished fifth in the event last year and third in 2006.
Last week’s runner-up, Paula Creamer, is here this week along with the 2006 winner and course record holder, Cristie Kerr. However, last week’s winner Annika Sorenstam, will take the week off.
Choi Na Yeon and Maria Hjorth are other players who have been in good form this season and whose length from the tee may be of assistance around this demanding layout.
Finland’s Minea Blomqvist is having a great season with three top tens already and is clearly finding her feet on the LPGA Tour. She might not yet be ready to win but will do so before too long.
Australians Karrie Webb and Lindsey Wright have taken the week off but Katherine Hull, Sarah Kemp and the non-exempt Sarah Jane Kenyon and Anna Rawson get their chance in this slightly weaker field.
