Date: August 20, 2007
Author:

Mills breaks through

Australian Joanne Mills has broken a decade-long drought on the Ladies European Tour with a one-stroke victory at the Wales Ladies Championship in Machynys. In wet conditions at Machynys Peninsula Golf Course, Mills held off chasing German Bettina Hauert and Englishwoman Georgina Simpson despite posting a final round one-over 73. Tied for the lead overnight with English pair Simpson and Rebecca Hudson, Mills had a birdie at the third but was a little shaky on the back nine with bogeys at the 12th and 16th to end the week six-under. But she did just enough to end a 10-year gap between the 37-year-old Sydneysider&aposs first Ladies European Tour title – the 1997 German Open – and the second. Meanwhile, world No.1 Lorena Ochoa&aposs outstanding 2007 season continued with a three-stroke victory at the Canadian Open. Sunday&aposs triumph at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton was Ochoa&aposs second triumph in as many starts – following her maiden major title at the British Open two weeks ago – and her fifth of the year. The Mexican had one hand on the trophy at the start of the day thanks to an equal course record seven-under 64 in the third round and she followed up with a final-round 69 to make it a weekend to savour. But the 25-year-old Ochoa, who finished at minus-16, did not have it all her own way with American Paula Creamer only two shots adrift overnight and yapping at her heels throughout the final round. Creamer, who broke 70 for all four rounds and shot 68 on Sunday to finish at 13-under, kept the margin at two shots with seven holes remaining, but Ochoa proved too strong down the stretch. Ochoa remains atop the money order with more than $US2.6million in prizemoney. South Korean Shi Hyun Ahn was third a further three strokes adrift at 10-under. Of the Australians, Karrie Webb failed to carry the momentum from a second-round 64 into the weekend, posting with rounds of 73 and 71 to finish in a tie for 18th at four-under. Compatriot Rachel Hetherington was one back at minus-two, while Wendy Doolan carded a one-under 70 on Sunday to end the week at two-under. Lindsey Wright (two-over) and Michelle Ellis (three-over) also made the cut. The highest-placed Canadian player was Alena Sharp, who gave the crowd something to cheer for with a final-round 69 to finish tied for 10th at six-under. Result from Wales Ladies Championship (par 72) -6 Joanne Mills (Australia) 70 68 71 73 -5 Bettina Hauert 72 71 69 71, Georgina Simpson 72 67 70 74 -4 Iben Tinning 69 70 73 72, Amy Yang 73 65 72 74 -3 Rebecca Hudson 70 65 74 76 -2 Lisa Hall 73 69 73 71, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement 73 70 70 73 -1 Johanna Westerberg 69 71 73 74 Ev Kiran Matharu 73 70 73 72, Maria Verchenova 72 69 74 73 Others: +4 Karen Lunn (Australia) 73 70 74 75, Nikki Garrett (Australia) 73 71 73 75 +7 Anna Rawson (Australia) 77 70 78 70, Leah Hart (Australia) 71 73 79 72 +15 Rebecca Stevenson (Australia) 75 72 82 74 +17 Cherie Byrnes (Australia) 73 73 79 80 +18 Carlie Butler (Australia) 77 69 83 77 Result from the Canadian Women&aposs Open (par 71) -16 Lorena Ochoa 70 65 64 69 -13 Paula Creamer 68 69 66 68 -10 Shi Hyun Ahn 67 67 74 66 -9 Brittany Lang 71 67 70 67, Laura Diaz 65 70 68 72 -8 Jeong Jang 67 71 70 68, Kimberly Hall 68 67 72 69, Ya-Ni Tseng 67 71 67 71 -7 Seon Hwa Lee 70 72 71 64 -6 Suzann Pettersen 73 69 68 68, Angela Stanford 72 69 69 68, Alena Sharp 70 72 67 69 Others: -4 Karrie Webb (Australia) 72 64 73 71 -3 Rachel Hetherington (Australia) 74 69 66 72 -2 Wendy Doolan (Australia) 70 73 69 70 +2 Lindsey Wright (Australia) 70 74 74 68 +3 Michelle Ellis (Australia) 73 71 73 70