Golf Talk

2007 was quite a year for Lorena.

While it was expected that Lorena Ochoa was the obvious choice as the LPGA’s player of the year, but she was once again named the AP’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2007. Lorena achieved all kinds of personal goals in 2007 and overtook Annika Sorenstam as the most dominant player in women’s golf, an unofficial title that Annika held for almost an entire decade.

Recapping the year, Lorena won her first major championship, the Women’s British Open. She topped nearly $4 million in total earnings for 2007 and won a total of 12 times on the LPGA in 2007. But at 26, Lorena hadn’t always looked to be golf’s next Queen of the links. Losing tournaments after leading heading into the final round continued to plague Lorena even through to this year, but Lorena battled all of her demons and has established herself as the best women’s golfer in the world.

As for the other candidates in consideration, there was Justine Henin, New York Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe, Tennessee basketball player Candace Parker and Allyson Felix, the second woman in history to win three gold medals at the World Track and Field Championships.

I guess when you think about it, there really was no competition, Lorena was odds on favorite to take this honor as well. Justine Henin won the French Open but that’s really about it.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named the AP’s Male Athlete of the Year. Tom is on track to break Peyton Manning’s single season record for touchdowns and en route to an undefeated regular season. Tom edged out Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Lorena Ochoa, LPGA Tour

Ochoa, richest woman in golf.

I guess it is fitting that as the best womens’ golfer in the world fades into the background, a new leader emerges. Annika Sorenstam ended her worst year since her rookie year in 1994 by missing the cut at the ADT Championship. Now Lorena Ochoa caps off a record year in earnings and wins with the victory at the same ADT Championship. The torch has been officially handed off, we have a new leading lady in the world of golf.

Things didn’t always come so easily to Lorena. After all, it was just four months ago when Lorena was still facing her demons after another second place finish blowing a lead to Nicole Castrale at the Ginn Classic. And she saw her younger competitors capture the major championships, first there was Paula Creamer last year, then Morgan Pressel at the Nabisco, Suzann Pettersen at the LPGA Championship, Christie Kerr at the US Open (OK, so Christie isn’t younger, but still, you get my point). But winning the British Open, the final major championship of the year and her first, seems to have eased all the tensions.

I see Lorena playing now, and she doesn’t feel the pressure like she once did. I liken it to when Phil Mickelson won the Masters to claim his first major. There was always so much pressure on Phil and every loss came with the inevitable questions about how he lost another championship. Lorena had the same pressures. But I see her much more relaxed now and I think her game has responded positively.

So it seems fitting that she would hit a 6-iron from the rough on her approach shot on 18 that would roll inches for the cup and seal the win this week over Natalie Gulbis. Also fitting that the biggest prize in women’s golf history goes to Lorena to cap off her amazing season filled with ups and downs.

Congrats to Lorena, and I’m sure there will be plenty more to come…

Lorena Ochoa, ADT Championship

The PGA Tour sure has its perks.

It was actually a pretty busy weekend in golf in case you missed it. Lorena Ochoa wraps up another win besting the small field of twenty to take the Samsung. Ernie Els won his seventh World Match Play Championship. Finally, a rookie, George McNeill wins the Frys.com or better known as Las Vegas Open on Sunday.

First up, the Samsung. Lorena Ochoa continued her dominance on the LPGA Tour by winning with a 6-under 66 in her final round, 4-shots clear of second place, Mi Hyun Kim. With the win, Lorena clinches back to back Player of the Year honors. Is there any doubt now that Lorena has springboarded herself to the top of the totem pole? Does anyone really think Annika can come back to her pre-injury form to challenge Lorena? At 25, Lorena has at least 10 years of peak performance to look foward to. There are some good challengers from the US and Korea, but I think week in and week out, Lorena is far ahead of any of her competitors right now.

Ernie Els wins the World Match Play Championship beating Angel Cabrera 6 to 4. The best part of the story was Ernie rushing back to his private jet to catch the Rugby World Cup match between South Africa and Argentina. How much of a coincidence is that, both players from both countries happen to face each other while their mates from the same countries duke it out in Rugby.

Rookie, George McNeill, won his first PGA Tour event on Sunday winning the Frys.com Las Vegas Open. The story is always the same, rookie wins, glad to not go through Q school. Not to mention the nice $720,000 cheque. George, don’t blow it all on one hand of roulette.

Finally, what would a post be without a mandatory Michelle Wie bashing. Apparently, her agent, Greg Nared has left his job. I guess attempting to run interference for the worst parents in sports history was too much despite the fat commission cheques. Oh well, Michelle and Co. will find some other lacky to abuse. Good night now…

LPGA Tour, Samsung, Ernie Els, George McNeill

Pettersen tops Ochoa in a playoff.

After Suzann Pettersen chased down and took out world number one Lorena Ochoa in a playoff last week at the Longs Drugs Challenge, one has to wonder whether Suzann Pettersen’s meltdown at the Kraft Nabisco Championship was the best thing ever to happen for her. Since that fateful day six months ago, Pettersen has won the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, then the McDonald’s LPGA Championship and now the Longs Drugs Challenge. Add two second-place finishes to her three wins this year and you can see why she is ranked second in the world behind Lorena Ochoa.

Sometimes, you have to go through adversity before you achieve greatness. You have to suffer agonizing defeat, get beat in the worst way possible, then fight your way back. The way that Suzann Pettersen lost the Kraft Nabisco to Morgan Pressel in May was as bad a way to lose as one could possibly imagine. With a three-shot lead and four holes to play, Pettersen closed with two bogeys and two double-bogeys. Yes, she cried after, who wouldn’t after blowing what seemed to be an almost sure win. But she stormed back, determined to climb the mountain and overcome her fears. At the McDonald’s, she had to hold off a hard charging Karrie Webb, hitting some key putts to maintain the lead. Here at the Longs, after a bad stretch of bogeys from holes 9 to 12 that saw her lose her 2-shot lead, she came back in the final few holes to force a playoff and beat Lorena Ochoa.

Not that it means anything really, but since Morgan Pressel won the Kraft Nabisco in May (her first LPGA Tour win) she has not won a single tournament since…

LPGA Tour, Longs Drugs Challenge, Suzann Pettersen, Lorena Ochoa

A selection of quotes from last week’s Wyndham Championship and Women’s Canadian Open.

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Lorena Ochoa is simply on fire right now. After winning the British Open a few weeks ago, she looks like a woman possessed, possessed to win. She is killing right now. I’d have to say she is unstoppable at the moment. Now, we’re still waiting to see how she reacts when put under pressure, but she’s steamrolling the field right now.

Paula Creamer was the only player making any kind of charge, but it wasn’t even close. Lorena wins with 3-shots to clear.

Is Lorena the next Tiger Woods of the LPGA? Quite possibly, she’s certainly taken over from Annika Sorenstam who looks closer and closer to retirement as the months go by. She’s only 26, and while there are some talented players on tour, nobody has her ability to play well week after week, Lorena has staying power.

LPGA Tour, Canadian Open, Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer

I’ll keep this one brief, congrats go out to Lorena Ochoa for her first career major win. She didn’t play great, but good enough to win. Considering she had a six shot lead, she was content with playing conservative and making pars. Would she have reacted the same if for example Annika Sorenstam made a charge? Maybe, but the fact is nobody did and Lorena played good enough.

LPGA Tour, Women’s British Open, Lorena Ochoa

Now that Lorena has a 6-shot lead heading into the biggest day of her life so far, the British Open is definitely hers to lose at this point. I’m still not ruling anything out for Sunday, though it would be the biggest collapse of her career and indeed the LPGA since I can remember. Lets not forget that less than 2 months ago at the Ginn Tribute, Lorena had as big as a 6-shot lead over Nicole Castrale before she lost it in a playoff. Enough of the negativity, lets hope for Lorena and the LGPA Tour, that she holds on and captures her first career major.

If there was a darkhorse I’d pick, it would have to be Annika Sorenstam (though not really a darkhorse). She’s got the experience to mount a charge and finish under-par for the final round.

LPGA Tour, Women’s British Open, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam

For Lorena, it was all about holding serve and she did that quite nicely on Friday. Nothing spectacular, but she played the tough course conditions as well as she could, perhaps a little defensive at times, but she didn’t make any major mistakes to shoot an even-par round for a 6-under total. She is one ahead of Wendy Ward and Catriona Matthew at the moment. I think with the course is setup, 8 or 9-under should be enough to win it which means there’s plenty of work remaining. Good Luck Lorena…

Other contenders, Annika is 3-back, though I don’t think she’ll catch the leaders.

As for Michelle Wie, she blew up today and shot an 80 round and missed the cut.

LPGA Tour, Women’s British Open, Lorena Ochoa, Wendy Ward, Catriona Matthew

It was at all surprising to see Lorena Ochoa jump out to an early 2-shot lead at the Women’s British Open after her 6-under first round. After all, she is the number one player in the world. The big question everyone is asking, is whether she can keep it. We’ll have to wait three more rounds to get that answer.

I didn’t see any other names among the leaders that jumped out other than Brittany Lincicome at 2-under and Annika Sorenstam at 1-under. Brittany has made a habit of playing well on Wed only to falter in the latter rounds, lets see if she can buck that trend.

Michelle Wie managed an even-par round, so did Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer.

LPGA Tour, Women’s British Open, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, Brittany Lincicome

The Women’s British Open starts tomorrow at Royal St. Andrews in Scotland. And since it is a major, I think it’s worth at least a dedicated preview post here, no? My gut tells me that the general public is rooting for a second straight Natalie Gulbis victory, I know I am, funky swing and all. But all the heavy hitters will be there and it will be a tough field to crack. Let’s take a look at this stacked field.

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Shooting a Canadian Open record 62 on the first day of action, Hunter Mahan got the best of Angus Glen with a 9-under par round to lead all scores. Meanwhile at the Evian Masters, it’s a three way tie between Patty Hurst, Brittany Lincicome and Eun-hee Ji. Jump on the link for more details.

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Congratulations goes out to Christie Kerr, your 2007 Women’s US Open Champion. She certainly played like one today. I remember predicting last month that Christie would win a major. Meanwhile at the Buick Open, the lead changed throughout the day, but it was Brian Bateman who held the lead when it mattered most, after 72 holes.

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Today was crazy for deadlines so I’ll keep this short with my thoughts.

Women’s US Open

Wacky crazy day. Lorena Ochoa is in contention, Angela Park leads. Michelle Wie shoots 82, but the real shocker of the day was Karrie Webb and her 83, wow.

They didn’t finish the first round, there was a 3.5 hour delay but no rain, then darkness. They’ll start at 7:30am tomorrow to try to get back on track.

Buick Open

Rocco Mediate has the lead at 8-under. Jim Furyk and Scott Verplank are not far off at 6-under, tied for fifth. My pool picks are looking good.

Love the 17th hole, I can’t wait for someone to nail a hole-in-one and win the Buick Lucerne they have sitting in that pond there. Just a beautiful hole.

PGA Tour, Buick Open, Rocco Mediate, Jim Furyk, LPGA Tour, Women’s US Open, Angela, Park, Lorena Ochoa

Tomorrow is the start of the biggest tournament annually for the women, the US Open. Now this is a USGA sanctioned event and so it’s not LPGA. In any case, lets see who could take the trophy on Sunday.

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