TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Rested Ochoa Wins In Return

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: September 29, 2008

PRATTVILLE, Ala. - Lorena Ochoa won the Navistar LPGA Classic on Sunday for her seventh victory of the year and first since May, beating Kandie Kung with a par on the second hole of a playoff.

Recharged after a month away from the tour, the top-ranked Mexican star closed with a 2-under 70 to match Kung (67) and Cristie Kerr (66) at 15-under 273. Kerr was eliminated with a bogey on the first extra hole.

Ochoa was winless in seven starts after opening the year with six wins in nine events, including four straight.

Shanshan Feng (66) and Song-Hee Kim (69) tied for fourth at 14 under on the links-style Senator Course, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex.

Ochoa eagled the par-5 eighth and also had a bogey and a birdie in the round that she finished with six straight pars - eight including the playoff.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: At Cary, N.C., Argentina's Eduardo Romero won the SAS Championship for his third victory in five starts, closing with a 6-under 66 for a three-stroke victory over Tom Kite.

Romero, also the Dick's Sporting Goods Open winner in July and U.S. Senior Open in August, is the tour's lone three-time winner this year.

He had a 15-under 201 total on the Prestonwood Country Club course and earned $315,000 to jump from eighth to third on the money list with $1,501,799.

Kite finished with a 69.

Andy Bean and Gil Morgan shot 67s to tie for third at 11 under. Second-round leader Bruce Fleisher (72) and Jim Thorpe (67) finished at 10 under.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano spoiled Lee Westwood's bid to retain the British Masters title by beating the English Ryder Cup player with a par on the third playoff hole at Sutton Coldfield, England..

The 27-year-old Spaniard putted from just off the green on the 18th hole at the Belfry to within an inch, and then watched as defending champion Westwood chipped poorly and missed a 15-foot par putt. Both players parred the 18th on the first two playoff holes.

The victory earned Fernandez-Castano $300,000. He celebrated by taking a dip in the lake that fronts the final green and came to his media center interview clad only in two towels.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT