News & Observer | newsobserver.com | Four weeks, four events, four victories for Ochoa

Published: Apr 21, 2008 12:30 AM
Modified: Apr 21, 2008 05:14 AM

Four weeks, four events, four victories for Ochoa

Golfer matches Wright's LPGA feat

 

Story Tools

Advertisements
REUNION, FLA. - Lorena Ochoa hustled around the corner, hoping to jump in a car and catch a flight home to Mexico.

No chance.

There were about 100 people waiting for her in the resort lobby, some seeking pictures and autographs, others hoisting glasses of champagne.

Ochoa wanted to sprint away, but she paused for another few minutes. After all, this was deserving of one more celebration.

The 26-year-old became the first LPGA Tour player in 45 years to win four tournaments in consecutive weeks. The world's No. 1 player shot a 3-under 69 in the final round of the Ginn Open on Sunday and beat rookie Yani Tseng by three strokes for her fifth victory in six starts this season.

"I'm very grateful. It's been a blessing, you know," Ochoa said. "But I know that bad times will come. It's just the way life is. I'm just trying to enjoy my moment, and I would like to enjoy it for a long time. So even if it's going to be an up-and-down ride, hopefully I can stay there."

Ochoa trailed early in the final round but went ahead for good with three straight birdies beginning at No. 8. She finished 19 under and became the second player to win four times in as many weeks.

Mickey Wright did it in 1962 and 1963. Kathy Whitworth (1969) and Annika Sorenstam (2001) also won four consecutive events, but both had a week off during their runs.

Sorenstam (2004-05) and Nancy Lopez (1978) hold the tour record with five straight victories in events entered, but neither of those came in consecutive weeks.

Ochoa will give her colleagues a chance to take the spotlight next week in South Florida. She will sit out the Stanford Invitation Pro-Am and then try to make it five straight in two weeks in Tulsa, Okla.

"She's proven that she's our top player," fellow golfer Paula Creamer said. "She's set that mark pretty high."

Ochoa talked all week about how tiring it was to play four straight events, especially since last week's victory came in her native country and was filled with visits from friends and family members, plus countless media and sponsorship requests.

But even with a little less energy, she was better than everyone else at the Ginn.

"She's really No. 1," said Tseng, 19, who finished 16 under and five shots ahead of third-place Teresa Lu and Suzann Pettersen.

Ochoa tapped in for par on No. 18, then raised both arms in celebration. She won a car and $390,000, increasing her 2008 earnings to $1,440,500.

The win was Ochoa's 10th in her past 15 tournaments, dating to last season. She won eight times in 2007.

All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.

No comments have been posted for this story. Log in to be the first to comment.
 

 

The News & Observer is pleased to be able to offer its users the opportunity to make comments and hold conversations online. However, the interactive nature of the internet makes it impracticable for our staff to monitor each and every posting.

Since The News & Observer does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted on our website. In addition, we remind anyone interested in making an online comment that responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The News and Observer.

If you find a comment offensive, clicking on the exclamation icon will flag the comment for review by the administrators, we are counting on the good judgment of all our readers to help us.

Hosting Partners of
newsobserver.com

A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company