(16 November 2009 – Guadalajara, Mexico)
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It has taken a lot longer than expected, but Michelle Wie has captured her maiden title with a two shot victory at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational by Banamex and Corona Light in Guadalajara, Mexico. In what has been a &apossoap opera&apos life so far, Wie beat an elite limited field to win her first title from Paula Creamer, with Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel and Jiyai Shin in a tie for third.
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rn Wie began the final round at 10-under par, tied with Kerr with the duo holding a one shot cushion over the trio of Creamer, Shin and another Korean Song-Hee Kim. Wie began the best with birdies at the 1st and 3rd holes and held that lead until the turn. Shortly after, Creamer drained an eagle putt on the 10th hole to join Wie on 12-under par, a shot clear of Shin and Kerr, who joined the leaders with back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11.
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rnIn the end, it was the stretch of holes 13 through 17 that won Wie the tournament. She remained solid with 5 pars while the others all made bogies; Kerr at 16 and 17; Creamer at 14 and 17 and Shin at 16. Wie capped off her memorable week with a birdie at 18 after blasting a 30-yard bunker shot to a foot to tap in and seal the victory.
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rnIn what was her 66th tournament on the LPGA, her 18th as a Member, Wie couldn’t be happier, stating, “It sounds cliché, but it feels awesome, fantastic actually. It’s definitely (a monkey) off my back. I think that hopefully life will be a lot better, but I still have a lot of work to do.”
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rnTournament host and World No.1, Lorena Ochoa celebrated her birthday on Sunday by posting a final round 3-under par 69 to move up to a tie for 6th, keeping herself in the Rolex Player of the Year race. With just this week’s Tour Championship remaining, Jiyai Shin is on course to win both the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year and the Rolex Player of the Year. After already wrapping up the Rookie of the Year title, Shin leads the Player of the Year race by 8 points over Ochoa. If Shin were to hold onto her lead, she would become the first woman since LPGA and World Golf Halls of Famer Nancy Lopez in 1978 to achieve the feat.
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rnThe other title on the line is the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average. Ochoa (70.225) leads this race by less than 0.05 of a shot from both Shin (70.267) and Cristie Kerr (70.275). Both players would have to beat Ochoa by four shots to steal this title from her grasp.
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rnKarrie Webb was the best of the ALPG contingent finishing in 21st after rounds of 73, 72, 70 and 73. Neither Webb nor Katherine Hull (T28) and Lindsey Wright (34th) could get anything going all week and never featured among the leaders. Wright however, threw up a very interesting scorecard on Sunday, where she posted 16 pars, a bogey and an 11 on the par 3 13th hole
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rnThe 2009 season wraps up this week with the US$2million LPGA Tour Championship presented by Rolex. ALPG Members Rachel Hetherington (88th), Sarah Kemp (93rd), and Sarah-Jane Smith (107th) are all looking for a good finish to their season in order to finish in the Top-80 on the Money List and keep their full cards for 2011. They will be joined by Wendy Doolan, Karrie Webb, Lindsey Wright and Katherine Hull who will be hoping to finish their year on a positive note with Webb needing just $36,849.00 to cross the US1million in season earnings for the 7th time in her distinguished career.