Ochoa seeks third major at LPGA

BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 McDonalds LPGA Championship | Preview | 03 Jun 2008

The world of women’s golf takes centre stage this week in the lead up to next week’s US Open when their second major of the year, The McDonald’s LPGA Championship, is played at the Pete Dye designed Bulle Rock Golf Club in Havre de Grace in Maryland.

Bulle Rock Golf Club is just north of Baltimore, adjacent to Chesapeake Bay and has been the home of this event since Annika Sorenstam won the third of her LPGA Championships in 2005.

The defending champion is Suzann Pettersen, whose win twelve months ago not only secured the Norwegian her first major championship, but her first LPGA Tour victory. She would go on to become Lorena Ochoa’s closest pursuer in 2007 with a further four LPGA Tour victories. Although she has yet to win on the LPGA Tour in 2008, Pettersen’s recent win in Switzerland and a solid week last week when 9th at the Ginn Tribute suggests she is peaking at just the right time for her title defence.

Lorena Ochoa has yet to win this event but with six wins in 2008 to her name already then this presents a good opportunity. This also offers the record setting Mexican a chance to join Babe Zaharias and Pat Bradley in winning three consecutive majors.

A week away from tournament golf last week to attend to personal issues in Mexico, plus a week’s break the week of the Corning Classic, may count against her to some extent but given her class she is sure to be in the mix. Ochoa has been inside the top ten on her three visits to Bulle Rock but 5th has been her best.

Annika Sorenstam is already a three time winner in 2008 and although she had an ordinary week last week at the Ginn Tribute, her role in hosting that event may well have been somewhat of a distraction. If she is as good as her word, and this is her last year as a playing professional, then this is one of her last chances to add to her amazing record of ten major victories.

Only the US and British Opens remain in that respect before she retires at the end of this season.

Karrie Webb has twice been runner up at this venue and given her return to near winning form last week at the Ginn Tribute she deserves consideration despite a rather rollercoaster season to date.

Her putting has proven to be her downfall for much of the season although it appeared to be back last week. If she can find a way to continue that improvement on the greens then she has a chance to claim revenge on this golf course, win her second McDonald’s LPGA Championship and her eighth major championship title.

Paula Creamer has had a good season to date with two victories and does boast two good finishes at this venue including when third behind Se Ri Pak and Karrie Webb in 2006. Her form in the past month is not quite what it was earlier in the season but she is one of the game’s best and must be considered.

Se Ri Pak won this event at this venue in 2006 and is a proven big event player. Her form has been indifferent this year but she did finish 9th last week suggesting something even better was on the way.

Pak aside, the Koreans are likely to be very much a consideration but it is a matter of choosing which one. Every week a comparatively new Korean name appears on the leaderboard and this week might see a similar scenario.

Na Yeon Choi is one of them and she and Taiwan’s Ya Ni Tseng are dominating the race for the leading rookie title. Rookies don’t often win major championships but both are capable of following in the footsteps of Se-Ri Pak in 1998, who did just that in this event.

The Australians are headed by Webb who, as mentioned above, is a genuine winning chance but several others get a start and are not without a chance of at least a good week.

Lindsey Wright secured her most significant finish in LPGA Tour golf when she finished 4th last year following a last round of 66. In terms of her current form she is performing even better in 2008 than was the case last year so has a chance for another very good week.

Rachel Hetherington, Katherine Hull, Wendy Doolan, Michelle Ellis, Sarah Kemp have definite stars while Anna Rawson and Sarah-Jane Kenyon will need to sweat it out on the alternate bench waiting for a start. Rawson is 1st alternate while Kenyon is 3rd. It would be a surprise if at least Rawson does not get a start after her recent good form

The tournament carries prizemoney of US$2 million.