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Ochoa: 3rd Sybase In A Row

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The Associated Press

Published: May 19, 2008

Updated: 05/19/2008 12:05 am

CLIFTON, N.J. - Lorena Ochoa found a new way to win, grinding it out instead of running away from the field.

A day after leaving the retiring Annika Sorenstam in her wake, Ochoa overcame a balky putter to shoot a 1-under 71 and post a one-stroke victory against five players Sunday for her third straight victory in the rain-shortened Sybase Classic.

"It was a tough day, but I did it," Ochoa said. "I think that was what was important. It doesn't matter how you do it sometimes; you play really good, other players struggle, sometimes you just keep yourself in a good position. Today it was different; it was a different win, but I enjoyed it a lot."

The victory was Ochoa's 23rd overall and 20th since April 2006. The $300,000 prize pushed her career earnings past the $12 million mark, making her the fastest player on the LPGA Tour to reach that plateau.

Ochoa accomplished it in just more than five years, more than four years faster than the old mark set by Sorenstam, who played herself out of contention with a second-round 73.

Sophie Gustafson of Sweden, Morgan Pressel, Catriona Matthew of Scotland, rookie leader Na Yeon Choi and Brittany Lang all finished the 54-hole tournament at 9-under-par 207, a shot behind the winner.

Lakeland's Bean Holds On For Champions Win

HOOVER, Ala. - Andy Bean hasn't forgotten how to pull off a dramatic victory.

Lakeland's Bean managed to save par on No. 18 after hooking his drive left and bogeying the previous hole, holding on for a 2-under 70 and a one-stroke victory against Loren Roberts in the Champions Tour's Regions Charity Classic.

It was only the second win in 5 1/2 years on the 50-and-over tour for Bean and his first since the Greater Hickory Classic on Oct. 1, 2006. That one capped a 20-year drought since his 11th PGA Tour victory.

Bean, who had held or shared the lead after the first two rounds, pulled himself out of trouble on the final hole when his drive nearly hit a hospitality tent. He landed his second shot 21 feet from the hole, though, and two-putted for par and the $255,000 winner's check at Ross Bridge on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

"That one was about as good as I've hit it all day, all week, all year," Bean said. "I wouldn't want to have a bucket of balls and have to hit another one."

He finished with a 13-under 203. Roberts, still seeking his first win of 2008, shot a 69.

PGA EUROPEAN: Richard Finch shot a 2-under 70 after falling into a river on the last hole to win the Irish Open in Adare by two strokes for his second European Tour victory of the season. Finch shot a 10-under 278, while Felipe Aguilar of Chile (70-280) was second.

NATIONWIDE: David Mathis won the BMW Charity Pro-Am in Greer, S.C., for his first Nationwide Tour title, closing with a 3-under 68 for a three-stroke victory against Roger Tambellini, while Wayne Gretzky teamed with Chris Nallen to win the Pro-Am title. Gretzky and Nallen shot 59-59-60-62 to finish the better-ball competition at 46 under, two shots ahead of musician Javier Colon and Colt Knost.

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