Rookie Anna Nordqvist wins season-ending
LPGA Tour Championship
Sweden's successor to Annika Sorenstam, Anna Nordqvist, British women's open amateur champion at North Berwick only last year, scored another big win as a rookie pro on the LPGA Tour today - the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship at The Houstonian Country Club, Texas.
The tournament, which spilled over into Monday because Saturday was a wash-out, reducing the event to 54 holes, saw Anna, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, come from behind with a final round of 65 for a 13-under-par total of 203 to win the $225,000 first prize.
By finishing second on 205 with a last-round 67, Lorena Ochoa won the Player of the Year honours.
Player of Year Lorena Ochoa getting married next month
FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE:
RICHMOND, Texas -- Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin's duel for LPGA player of the year fittingly came down to the final hole of the season.
Anna Nordqvist won the LPGA Tour Championship on Monday and Ochoa finished second to earn the top player title for the fourth consecutive year.
The 22-year-old Nordqvist shot a final-round 65 to finish 13 under par. Ochoa was two strokes back and won the top player honor when Shin couldn't chip in for birdie from the front of the 18th hole.
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Leaderboard
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"I always say that I want to stay on top as long as I continue playing, so this is just a great year for me," Ochoa said. "It's been tough in many different ways, but the important thing is I'm at the top."
Shin led Ochoa by eight points (156-148) in the race entering the tournament. Once Ochoa secured second place, Shin had to finish no worse than seventh to win the player of the year award. Point totals are based on top-10 results.
Shin seemed to take the inside track when Ochoa needed two shots to escape a greenside bunker on the par-3 17th hole. Ochoa sank a bogey putt, virtually ending her chances of winning the tournament, as Shin and Nordqvist watched from the tee.
But Shin also hit a bunker on the 17th, blasted out short of the green and bogeyed.
Ochoa dropped her approach to the 18th hole about 16 feet away and studied the leaderboard as she walked to the green. She and caddie Greg Johnston talked about the situation before Ochoa curled in the putt, giving a modest fist pump after it fell.
Shin's second shot to the 18th hole stopped a few feet off the green. Her chip missed the hole by inches and Ochoa patted her heart, embraced Johnston and held back tears near the scorers' tent.
"I'm happy I can make history, and my goal is to continue that," said Ochoa, who's getting married in two weeks. "Hopefully, I'm going to get back home and work hard and be ready for next year."
Shin, a 21-year-old South Korean. fell short in her bid to win the rookie and player of the year awards. Nancy Lopez remains the only player to sweep both titles, in 1978.
The good-natured Shin was still smiling after coming up short.
"I learned a lot from this year," she said. "I need more focus, concentration, and everything. I really made my goals. I just missed player of the year, but I still had a good year."
Ochoa also won her fourth straight Vare Trophy, honouring the season's lowest scoring average. Ochoa and Shin were separated by decimal points in that race award coming into the tournament.
Though she was constantly aware of where she stood with Shin, Ochoa said she never lost focus on the task at hand.
"I was just trying to win the tournament, so I didn't have to worry about how she finished, or the points at the end of the day," Ochoa said. "I'm just really proud of the way I finished."
Nordqvist, meanwhile, earned her second career victory and made it through the season without missing a cut in 15 starts. She also won the LPGA Championship this year.
Shin and Nordqvist played in the day's final group, right behind Ochoa. The Houstonian Golf and Country Club was still soggy after more than an inch of weekend rain and players were allowed to lift, clean and place their balls.
Nordqvist surged to the lead at 12 under with five consecutive birdies between Nos. 8-12. She bogeyed the 13th, then added birdies on 14 and 15 to settle the tournament and clear the way for Ochoa and Shin to decide their duel.
"I definitely tried to be aggressive," Nordqvist said. "It was pretty tight up the leaderboard, so you were really going to have to shoot low in order to pull it off. I'm just very, very happy that I did."
Na Yeon Choi (64) and second-round leader Kristy McPherson (70) finished 10 under, tied for third. A trio of players finished 7 under and Shin's costly par dropped her into a four-way tie for eighth.
Choi surged up the leaderboard in the early afternoon with a 30 on the front nine. She holed a 175-yard shot from the ninth fairway and birdied the 10th hole to reach 10 under.
Shin struggled to make putts on the front nine and didn't make her first birdie until No. 11. By then, Ochoa was within a shot of the lead. But Ochoa dropped shots at Nos. 8 and 9, and Nordqvist to zip past her.
Ochoa got back on track with an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 15, setting up the dramatic finish.
The event was shortened to 54 holes after weekend rains forced long delays. The second round was completed Monday morning, the cut was made and the third round began immediately in sunny, calm conditions
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 70 68 65
205 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 66 72 67
206 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 70 72 64, Kristy McPherson 69 67 70
209 Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 73 68 68, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 70 71 68, Hee Young Park (Kor) 70 72 67
210 Jiyai Shin (Kor) 70 67 73, Yani Tseng (Tai) 69 71 70, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 73 68 69, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 72 68 70
211 Heather Young 69 69 73, Jee Young Lee (Kor) 74 68 69, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 74 69 68, Cristie Kerr 72 69 70
212 Amy Yang 76 68 68, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 73 69 70, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 70 72 70, Wendy Ward 72 70 70
213 Taylor Leon 68 72 73, Chella Choi (Kor) 71 69 73, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 76 68 69, Meaghan Francella 71 75 67, Katie Futcher 73 69 71, Katherine Hull (Aus) 71 72 70
214 Paige Mackenzie 73 71 70, Becky Morgan (Wal) 74 72 68, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 73 66 75, Meena Lee (Kor) 72 70 72, Haeji Kang (Kor) 69 72 73, Karine Icher (Fra) 71 73 70
215 Karen Stupples (Eng) 71 69 75, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 72 71, Brittany Lang 73 74 68, Jimin Kang (Kor) 70 76 69, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 72 68 75, Angela Stanford 73 71 71, Stacy Lewis 70 71 74, Allison Fouch 70 74 71, Janice Moodie (Sco) 75 69 71
216 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 72 74 70, Morgan Pressel 72 71 73, Reilley Rankin 67 75 74, Sarah-jane Smith (Aus) 73 69 74, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 72 67 77, Meredith Duncan 72 72 72, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 77 69 70, Meg Mallon 70 73 73, Marcy Hart 76 71 69
217 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 74 72 71, Pornanong Phatlum (Tha) 75 71 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 77 69 71, Karrie Webb (Aus) 75 70 72, Laura Davies (Eng) 76 69 72
218 Paula Creamer 76 70 72, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 70 75 73, Pat Hurst 69 75 74, Kris Tamulis 76 71 71, Jeehae Lee (Kor) 74 72 72
219 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 76 71 72, Mindy Kim 72 74 73, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 73 70 76, Juli Inkster 70 74 75, Brandi Jackson 72 75 72, Leah Wigger 74 72 73, Julieta Granada (Par) 75 71 73, Ashli Bunch 72 75 72
220 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 74 72 74, Irene Cho 70 77 73, Brittany Lincicome 70 75 75,
Leta Lindley 70 77 73
221 Jane Park 74 69 78, Erica Blasberg 73 72 76
222 Carolina Llano 72 74 76, Jimin Jeong 72 75 75, Lisa Strom (Gbr) 74 73 75
223 Diana D'Alessio 75 71 77
224 Anna Rawson (Aus) 72 74 78
DQ: 220 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 72 73 75
Sweden's successor to Annika Sorenstam, Anna Nordqvist, British women's open amateur champion at North Berwick only last year, scored another big win as a rookie pro on the LPGA Tour today - the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship at The Houstonian Country Club, Texas.
The tournament, which spilled over into Monday because Saturday was a wash-out, reducing the event to 54 holes, saw Anna, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, come from behind with a final round of 65 for a 13-under-par total of 203 to win the $225,000 first prize.
By finishing second on 205 with a last-round 67, Lorena Ochoa won the Player of the Year honours.
Player of Year Lorena Ochoa getting married next month
FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE:
RICHMOND, Texas -- Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin's duel for LPGA player of the year fittingly came down to the final hole of the season.
Anna Nordqvist won the LPGA Tour Championship on Monday and Ochoa finished second to earn the top player title for the fourth consecutive year.
The 22-year-old Nordqvist shot a final-round 65 to finish 13 under par. Ochoa was two strokes back and won the top player honor when Shin couldn't chip in for birdie from the front of the 18th hole.
================
Leaderboard
================
"I always say that I want to stay on top as long as I continue playing, so this is just a great year for me," Ochoa said. "It's been tough in many different ways, but the important thing is I'm at the top."
Shin led Ochoa by eight points (156-148) in the race entering the tournament. Once Ochoa secured second place, Shin had to finish no worse than seventh to win the player of the year award. Point totals are based on top-10 results.
Shin seemed to take the inside track when Ochoa needed two shots to escape a greenside bunker on the par-3 17th hole. Ochoa sank a bogey putt, virtually ending her chances of winning the tournament, as Shin and Nordqvist watched from the tee.
But Shin also hit a bunker on the 17th, blasted out short of the green and bogeyed.
Ochoa dropped her approach to the 18th hole about 16 feet away and studied the leaderboard as she walked to the green. She and caddie Greg Johnston talked about the situation before Ochoa curled in the putt, giving a modest fist pump after it fell.
Shin's second shot to the 18th hole stopped a few feet off the green. Her chip missed the hole by inches and Ochoa patted her heart, embraced Johnston and held back tears near the scorers' tent.
"I'm happy I can make history, and my goal is to continue that," said Ochoa, who's getting married in two weeks. "Hopefully, I'm going to get back home and work hard and be ready for next year."
Shin, a 21-year-old South Korean. fell short in her bid to win the rookie and player of the year awards. Nancy Lopez remains the only player to sweep both titles, in 1978.
The good-natured Shin was still smiling after coming up short.
"I learned a lot from this year," she said. "I need more focus, concentration, and everything. I really made my goals. I just missed player of the year, but I still had a good year."
Ochoa also won her fourth straight Vare Trophy, honouring the season's lowest scoring average. Ochoa and Shin were separated by decimal points in that race award coming into the tournament.
Though she was constantly aware of where she stood with Shin, Ochoa said she never lost focus on the task at hand.
"I was just trying to win the tournament, so I didn't have to worry about how she finished, or the points at the end of the day," Ochoa said. "I'm just really proud of the way I finished."
Nordqvist, meanwhile, earned her second career victory and made it through the season without missing a cut in 15 starts. She also won the LPGA Championship this year.
Shin and Nordqvist played in the day's final group, right behind Ochoa. The Houstonian Golf and Country Club was still soggy after more than an inch of weekend rain and players were allowed to lift, clean and place their balls.
Nordqvist surged to the lead at 12 under with five consecutive birdies between Nos. 8-12. She bogeyed the 13th, then added birdies on 14 and 15 to settle the tournament and clear the way for Ochoa and Shin to decide their duel.
"I definitely tried to be aggressive," Nordqvist said. "It was pretty tight up the leaderboard, so you were really going to have to shoot low in order to pull it off. I'm just very, very happy that I did."
Na Yeon Choi (64) and second-round leader Kristy McPherson (70) finished 10 under, tied for third. A trio of players finished 7 under and Shin's costly par dropped her into a four-way tie for eighth.
Choi surged up the leaderboard in the early afternoon with a 30 on the front nine. She holed a 175-yard shot from the ninth fairway and birdied the 10th hole to reach 10 under.
Shin struggled to make putts on the front nine and didn't make her first birdie until No. 11. By then, Ochoa was within a shot of the lead. But Ochoa dropped shots at Nos. 8 and 9, and Nordqvist to zip past her.
Ochoa got back on track with an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 15, setting up the dramatic finish.
The event was shortened to 54 holes after weekend rains forced long delays. The second round was completed Monday morning, the cut was made and the third round began immediately in sunny, calm conditions
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 70 68 65
205 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 66 72 67
206 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 70 72 64, Kristy McPherson 69 67 70
209 Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 73 68 68, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 70 71 68, Hee Young Park (Kor) 70 72 67
210 Jiyai Shin (Kor) 70 67 73, Yani Tseng (Tai) 69 71 70, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 73 68 69, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 72 68 70
211 Heather Young 69 69 73, Jee Young Lee (Kor) 74 68 69, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 74 69 68, Cristie Kerr 72 69 70
212 Amy Yang 76 68 68, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 73 69 70, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 70 72 70, Wendy Ward 72 70 70
213 Taylor Leon 68 72 73, Chella Choi (Kor) 71 69 73, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 76 68 69, Meaghan Francella 71 75 67, Katie Futcher 73 69 71, Katherine Hull (Aus) 71 72 70
214 Paige Mackenzie 73 71 70, Becky Morgan (Wal) 74 72 68, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 73 66 75, Meena Lee (Kor) 72 70 72, Haeji Kang (Kor) 69 72 73, Karine Icher (Fra) 71 73 70
215 Karen Stupples (Eng) 71 69 75, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 72 71, Brittany Lang 73 74 68, Jimin Kang (Kor) 70 76 69, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 72 68 75, Angela Stanford 73 71 71, Stacy Lewis 70 71 74, Allison Fouch 70 74 71, Janice Moodie (Sco) 75 69 71
216 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 72 74 70, Morgan Pressel 72 71 73, Reilley Rankin 67 75 74, Sarah-jane Smith (Aus) 73 69 74, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 72 67 77, Meredith Duncan 72 72 72, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 77 69 70, Meg Mallon 70 73 73, Marcy Hart 76 71 69
217 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 74 72 71, Pornanong Phatlum (Tha) 75 71 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 77 69 71, Karrie Webb (Aus) 75 70 72, Laura Davies (Eng) 76 69 72
218 Paula Creamer 76 70 72, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 70 75 73, Pat Hurst 69 75 74, Kris Tamulis 76 71 71, Jeehae Lee (Kor) 74 72 72
219 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 76 71 72, Mindy Kim 72 74 73, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 73 70 76, Juli Inkster 70 74 75, Brandi Jackson 72 75 72, Leah Wigger 74 72 73, Julieta Granada (Par) 75 71 73, Ashli Bunch 72 75 72
220 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 74 72 74, Irene Cho 70 77 73, Brittany Lincicome 70 75 75,
Leta Lindley 70 77 73
221 Jane Park 74 69 78, Erica Blasberg 73 72 76
222 Carolina Llano 72 74 76, Jimin Jeong 72 75 75, Lisa Strom (Gbr) 74 73 75
223 Diana D'Alessio 75 71 77
224 Anna Rawson (Aus) 72 74 78
DQ: 220 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 72 73 75
Labels: LPGA TOUR
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