(Chonburi, Thailand)
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rnMexico&aposs World No.1, Lorena Ochoa fired a final round 6-under par 66 to record victory at the Honda LPGA Thailand at the Siam Country Club in Chonburi. Her rounds of 71,69,68,66 saw her register a 14-under par total 274, three shots in front of Korean Hee Young Park, who also finished strongly with a final round 7-under par 65. In third place was overnight leader Paula Creamer, who faltered early in her round to eventually post a 1-over par 73 to finish at 10-under par.
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rnOchoa started the final round three shots behind Creamer but they were quickly on level terms after Creamer made back-to-back bogeys on the 2nd and 3rd holes while Ochoa birdied the second. The Mexican then put her stamp on the tournament, taking the outright lead with a birdie at the 5th, following up with further birdies on the 6th and 8th holes to take a three-shot lead into the back nine.
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rnWhilst Creamer couldn’t find any birdies until the 15th hole, Ochoa continued her blitz with further birdies at the par-5’s 11th and 13th to move to a five-shot lead at 14-under. The real challenge was coming from Park who had moved to 9-under through the turn but couldn’t pick up another birdie until the 15th where her challenge by that stage was basically too-little-too-late. The second place was her career-best finish, which came after an opening round 7-over 79, meaning she played the last 54-holes in 18-under par.
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rnOchoa made her only mistake on the par-3 16th hole for bogey before another birdie on the 17th sealed her 25th career victory and the second time in two years where she has won her season debut event. Afterwards, she said, “I think it was a good idea to wait a few months for my first tournament. I worked very hard during the off-season. I changed my putter. It was a major decision but I feel very good now.”
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rnKarrie Webb was the best placed Australian, finishing in a tie for 19th at 1-under par total 287. After starting the final day in 4th place, her challenge stalled at the very first hole where she recorded a triple-bogey seven and couldn’t get anything going for the rest of the day, finishing with a disappointing 4-over par 76. Lindsey Wright was next best, just one shot behind Webb in a tie for 22nd after posting rounds of 74,74,70,70 for even par. In her first LPGA event of the season, ANZ Ladies Masters winner Katherine Hull was cruising late in her second round at 1-under par and in the Top-20. However, a disastrous 10 on the 18th hole curtailed her efforts to challenge for the title. Weekend rounds of 72 and 71 saw her finish in a tie for 40th at 5-over par total 293.
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rnThis week sees the second staging of the HSBC Women’s Champions tournament in Singapore. This is another limited field event with four Australian’s competing; Rachel Hetherington, Katherine Hull, Karrie Webb and Lindsey Wright. Lorena Ochoa is the defending champion and the field boasts a 78 player line-up missing only three players in the world&aposs top 40, including every available winner from the 2008 LPGA season and every Major winner over the past three years currently playing.
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