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World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa returns to winning ways

World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico gets doused in soda by friends after winning the Navistar LPGA Classic at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill in Prattville, Alabama, on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa won her third title of the year with her second successful title defense of the season, capturing the LPGA Navistar Classic by four strokes on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Mexican star, who began the day with a three-stroke edge, fired a final-round 70 to finish 72 holes on 18-under 270 and defeat Americans Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang by four strokes each.

Ochoa, second last week, also won this season in March in Thailand and the next month in Mexico and boosted her season prize money above US$1.2 million with the US$195,000 top prize at the US$1.3 million event.

After not winning in 11 starts over nearly six months, Ochoa captured her 27th career LPGA title on a course that suits her game very well.

“There are places where you feel comfortable and you feel a good vibe, and you like the course,” Ochoa said. “This has been really good for me. I feel comfortable here. I have a lot of good memories. I have a lot of emotions because it hasn’t been easy. I’m ready to keep playing good ball and would love the chance to finish with a few more wins.”

Former English soccer star Sir Bobby Charlton plays a shot during the third round of the Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie, Scotland, on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Four final LPGA season titles will be decided next month at events in Japan, South Korea, Mexico and the Tour Championship in Houston.

Ochoa took a bogey at the second and a birdie at the fourth, before a double-bogey disaster at the par-five fifth when she hit an unplayable ball off the tee.

“I told myself: ‘Forget it, you have many holes to play. Just be patient,’” Ochoa said.

She righted the ship with a birdie at the par-five eighth and birdies at the 11th, 14th and par-five 17th secured her victory.

Wie, who tweaked a sprained left ankle twice this week, birdied five of the last nine holes to fire a 66, but is still searching for her first elite-level victory after a pair of runner-up efforts in her first full LPGA campaign.

“I’m very proud of the way I grinded out there, especially on the back nine,” Wie said. “There were a lot of times where I felt like I had to stop, and catch my breath and keep going. My ankle was the only thing I could think about on the back nine. Score wasn’t really a factor. I just wanted to finish.”

Taiwan’s Yani Tseng (70) and Britain’s Janice Moodie (71) shared fourth on 275, with Sweden’s Maria Hjorth (71) and Beth Bader (67) of the US sharing sixth on 276.

Taiwan’s Candie Kung (73) was in a group tied on 284, while her compatriot Teresa Lu (76) was 12 shots further behind, tied for 77th place.

Ninth-grader Alexis Thompson, a 14-year-old from the US trying to become the LPGA’s youngest event winner, fired a second consecutive 74 to share 27th after sharing the lead through 36 holes.

“It was a great experience,” Thompson said. “I wish I would have finished better. I didn’t expect to do this bad. The first two days, it was pretty good. The last two days, it seemed like I hadn’t hit a ball in forever.”

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER



■DUNHILL LINKS

AFP, ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

Britain’s Luke Donald has a golden opportunity to end his three-and-a-half-year run without a win after matching the lowest round of his European Tour career in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday.

Donald followed a 65 at St Andrews with a 64 at Kingsbarns and heads back to the home of golf with a one-stroke lead over Rory McIlroy and Simon Dyson.

The tournament, which has a first prize of more than £485,000 (US$776,000), goes into an extra day because no play was possible on Saturday because of gale-force winds.

Donald, just inside the top 100 after his opening 72 at Carnoustie, has a Scottish father and donned a pair of Tartan trousers for the day.

“I’m glad I played well because you have to when you wear something this outrageous,” Donald said. “I thought five or six birdies would be good, but I went a few better.”

He had nine in all and was particularly pleased with those on the 16th and 17th. He had gone in the water to bogey the short 15th, but pitched to eight feet on the next and then, despite his drive finishing in a divot, hit a seven iron to 12 feet.

His last victory was the Honda Classic in Florida in March 2006 and his last success in Europe came more than five years ago.

Donald also took the opportunity on Sunday to hit out at a US journalist who coined the phrase “Luke Donald Disease” this year, claiming the British player was the best example of a get-rich-quick golfer lacking the drive to fulfill his potential.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met the guy,” Donald said. “If I did, I would say I didn’t really appreciate it and that I felt it was extremely off the mark. It was slightly hurtful. I like having stuff named after me, but not a disease. I have a great desire and I want to be as successful as I can. I certainly don’t turn up thinking about how much money I can make.”

Darren Clarke three-putted the last, but his 67 gave him a share of fourth place with Michael Hoey, Richie Ramsay and Rafael Cabrera-Bello.

Meanwhile, one-legged Manuel De Los Santos, playing with Richard Bland, missed the team cut by one shot on 20-under.

De Los Santos said: “I didn’t make the cut, but I am not disappointed because I have had the most fantastic week. I am also overwhelmed with the support I have received from both the spectators and the professionals. For Lee Westwood to say I am an inspiration to him is just unbelievable.”
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