Ochoa wins rain-shortened Sybase Classic
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 Sybase Classic | Round Three | 19 May 2008
If the LPGA Tour was a television channel it could be said that normal transmission has been resumed after Lorena Ochoa added her sixth LPGA Tour title of the season in just nine starts in New Jersey today.
After two weeks where she has not contended for victory, Ochoa is back to her winning ways, her victory this morning was her third consecutive Sybase title and takes her earnings for the season to US$1,838,000, a US$500,000 lead over Sorenstam. Together Ochoa and Sorenstam have won nine of the first twelve tournaments on the LPGA Tour this season.
Her victory today was narrow by comparison to some of the winning margins she has produced in her events this year but she will be pleased to again be back at the top of the leaderboard and clearly there is a lot more to come. The most events won in a season on the LPGA Tour is 13 by Mickey Wright in 1963 but, given that Ochoa has six by mid-May, the prospect of her reaching Wright’s total of 13 is not beyond the realms of possibility.
In 2007 Ochoa played 25 events, so she still may have a further sixteen events to play in 2008. For her to win another seven events is a big ask but there is every reason to believe that such a target is not out of the question.
Today Ochoa led into the final round of three after round two had been washed away by torrential rain in the New Jersey region. Ochoa took the lead from first round leader, Annika Sorenstam, when she added a second round 67 to take a two shot lead over Teresa Lu and Sophie Gustafson into the third, and what would become, the final round.
Two early birdies appeared to have Ochoa on track for another of her emphatic victories but several strong finishing rounds were being produced by those behind her and the Mexican was forced to keep her wits about her over the closing stages.
A 15 foot par save at the 13th, after a rare moment of anger down the fairway, was crucial but a bogey at the 17th would ensure she needed to par the final hole to win. She was able to do just that.
After an ordinary run this season, Morgan Pressel finally produced a good tournament, a best of the day round of 66 moving her into a share of second, picking up eight positions via her last round effort. Catriona Matthew also played well with a final round of 67 to be in the five way tied for second with Pressel, Brittany Lang, Sophie Gustafson and the brilliant Korean rookie Na-Yeon Choi. This was Choi’s fourth top ten of the season and despite being a non exempt player, she has already secured her immediate future on the LPGA Tour.
The best of the Australians were Lindsey Wright and Rachel Hetherington who finished in a share of 38th. Hetherington showed some rare form early in the tournament with an opening 67 but followed up with a second round of 77.
Sarah-Jane Kenyon and Michelle Ellis finished 42nd and Karrie Webb 67th.
The LPGA Tour will now move to the LPGA Corning Classic in Corning New York.
