GOLF
Ochoa claims victory
Posted Mon, 29 Sep 2008

World number one Lorena Ochoa won a three-way playoff for the Navistar LPGA Classic crown on Sunday, capturing her seventh victory of the season and her first since May.

Mexico's Ochoa finished four rounds on 15-under 273, tied with Taiwan's Candie Kung and American Cristie Kerr.

After Kerr was eliminated with a bogey at the first extra hole, Ochoa triumphed at the second with her second par of the playoff.

The 26-year-old star claimed her seventh LPGA victory of the season, but her first since the Sybase Classic on May 18.

"I think especially this one is going to be a good one for me," Ochoa said. "I had a slow summer, and I'm just trying to come back and come strong and it's an important win for my career."

As well as ending her dry spell, Ochoa was pleased to improve on the 1-5 playoff record she had coming into the tournament.

"If you look at the leaderboard, a lot of players were up there one and two shots behind. I'm happy that I won the playoff because I need to improve in my playoff results.

"I'm glad I did it this week and hopefully got in a good rhythm to keep it going and finish strong," added Ochoa, who goes into next week's Samsung championship as defending champion.

Ochoa had started the day with a share of the lead and carded a two-under 70 that included one eagle, one birdie, one bogey and six pars to end the round and join the playoff.

Kerr climbed up the leaderboard with a fourth-round 66 while Kung posted a 67.

Kerr had six birdies in her flawless round, including a 25-foot birdie putt at 18.

But when they returned to the same hole in the playoff, she bogeyed to drop out.

"It's very disappointing because I only had to two-putt (in the playoff). The first putt I hit probably would have ended up maybe five or six feet short, but it hit something and came up short and it was really hard to read," she said.

"I thought I hit actually a good shot into 18 but it came up two yards short or it would have been stiff. I guess you have to put it past the pin in a playoff."

Kung had five birdies in her five-under effort, including a 22-footer at 18 to get into the playoff.

"It has been a very good experience for me this week," she said. "I haven't played this well for a long time. And it's been solid four days.

"All day I was focused. I was happy that I got myself to the playoff. I didn't even know how big that putt was on 18."

When they returned to 18 for the playoff, Kung made an 18-footer to stay alive at the first playoff hole, but missed a 30-footer the second time around.

Swedish rookie Louise Friberg, who shared the overnight lead with Ochoa, carded a 72 and finished the day two shots off the winning total on 275.

Chinese rookie Shanshan Feng (66) and South Korean Song-Hee Kim (69) shared fourth place on 274.

AFP