The last time Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa met, they staged a memorable duel.
Sorenstam won by one stroke before her home crowd in Sweden. Ochoa walked away from the TPC of Scandinavia with a jolt of confidence.
Back from a two-week break after winning on her home course, Sorenstam hopes to carry the momentum to the State Farm Classic at The Rail Golf Club. She was grouped with Ochoa and 2004 winner Cristie Kerr yesterday and today. Defending champion Pat Hurst will tee off with Se Ri Pak and Hee-Won Han for the first two rounds.
Sorenstam is seeking her fourth victory during a year that has been "a little up and down."
"I've had some great moments, and then I've had some [disappointing] moments," she said on Wednesday. "I struggled a little bit with my swing, my game overall, but I had a great win in Sweden."
She opened her season with a first-place showing at the MasterCard Classic in Huixquilucan, Mexico, but went nearly four months without a victory before beating Hurst in an 18-hole playoff at the US Open.
Sorenstam birdied the final hole for another dramatic win this month at Bro-Balsta in Stockholm, where she learned to play. It was a fitting ending, given the way she and Ochoa rewrote the course record book.
First, Sorenstam set the mark when she shot a 7-under 66 in the first round. The next day, Ochoa fired an 8-under. Sorenstam tied the new record in the final round.
After Ochoa eagled the 17th hole, a gallery of about 20,000 watched Sorenstam hit her approach shot within 6 feet (2m) of the 18th pin. She birdied and celebrated by jumping into a pond with her sister Charlotta.
"Talk about a dramatic finish, talk about excitement for the fans," Sorenstam said. "It was really a wonderful week."
It also was an invaluable experience for the 24-year-old Ochoa.
"The galleries were getting crazy, but they were very nice to me, too," Ochoa said. "I think it was a good situation being paired together in the last two rounds and being so close."
Here they are again, one of the greatest of all time and one who is trying to deliver on her promise.
"She's always had a good short game, always been accurate," Sorenstam said of Ochoa. "But now, it seems like she makes more birdies and less mistakes. Maybe she's gotten more consistent. She is on a roll, that's for sure."
Ochoa has an altered swing, a new caddie and more confidence. She is coming off a record-setting performance at the Wendy's Championship for Children, where she shot a tournament-record 24-under 264. It was her third victory this season and the sixth of her career.
"I feel a lot more comfortable now," said Ochoa, who leads the player of the year standings.
She shortened her backswing, which improved her control.
"She's a good player, and I think the more you win ... it does get easier because you don't have as much pressure on you because you know you've done it before," Hurst said. "Once she won, it's compounded. That's what it's doing here."
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