Catriona Matthew has top-10 finish in Mexico
Michelle Wie scores breakthrough win in on LPGA Tour
FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
Michelle Wie broke through for her first professional tour victory on Sunday, winning the LPGA Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Guadaljara Country Club, Mexico by two shots from American Paula Creamer.
The 20-year-old Hawaiian, who first qualified for an LPGA event when she was 12, closed with a three-under par 69 for a 13-under 275 total to collect a $220,000 cheque.
"It feels, it sounds a cliche, but it feels awesome," Wie said after her round.
"For sure, it's definitely (a monkey) off my back. I think that hopefully life will be a lot better, but I still have a lot of work to do. I still have a lot to improve."
Starting the day joint leader with Cristie Kerr, Wie notched birdies on the first, third and 11th before stumbling at the 12th with a bogey.
She held firm with five straight pars, however, before sealing the victory in style on the last, a 30yd bunker shot landing a foot from the hole for a tap-in birdie.
"I was just focusing on just not hitting anyone in the crowd," said Wie when asked about the winning shot.
"It's a shot that I feel comfortable with. I just went up and walked up to it, looked at it, and hit it. I didn't give myself any time to doubt myself."
The win moved Wie to 14th on the LPGA money list with $918,659, behind leader Shin Ji-yai of South Korea on $1,775,104.
Wie, long touted to become a great of the game, became the youngest person, and the fourth female, to play in a US PGA Tour event when she missed the cut at the 2004 Sony Open.
Catriona Matthew, the Women's British Open champion from North Berwick, finished joint eighth with a five-under-par total of 283 - eight shots behind the winner.
HOW THEY FINISHED
Par 288 (4x72)
275 Michelle Wie (USA) 70 66 70 69
277 Paula Creamer (USA) 67 69 71 70
278 Jiyai Shin 67 66 74 71, Morgan Pressel (USA) 72 68 71 67, Cristie Kerr (USA) 69 70 67 72
281 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 71 69 72 69, Song-Hee Kim 65 72 70 74
283 Mariajo Uribe (Col) 67 72 74 70, Yani Tseng (Tai) 72 68 69 74, In Kyung Kim 71 74 65 73, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 68 75 69 71, Brittany Lang (USA) 69 70 72 72, Mi Jung Hur 70 70 72 71
284 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 73 69 71 71, Brittany Lincicome (USA) 69 70 73 72
285 Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 71 72 70 72, Sun Young Yoo 73 72 67 73, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 72 67 72 74
287 Na Yeon Choi 74 71 72 70, Kristy McPherson (USA) 71 69 71 76
288 Karrie Webb (Aus) 73 72 70 73
289 Juli Inkster (USA) 71 75 74 69, Candie Kung (Tai) 73 69 73 74
290 Ji-Young Oh 74 72 71 73, Hee-Won Han 71 76 70 73, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 75 69 73 73, Laura Davies (Eng) 76 69 73 72
291 Seon Hwa Lee 71 73 73 74, Sophia Sheridan (Mex) 72 73 73 73, Eun Hee Ji 68 74 76 73, Katherine Hull (Aus) 70 73 74 74
295 Se Ri Pak 75 73 74 73
297 Angela Stanford (USA) 73 75 77 72
298 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 75 74 68 81
305 Hee Young Park 79 70 78 78
FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
Michelle Wie broke through for her first professional tour victory on Sunday, winning the LPGA Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Guadaljara Country Club, Mexico by two shots from American Paula Creamer.
The 20-year-old Hawaiian, who first qualified for an LPGA event when she was 12, closed with a three-under par 69 for a 13-under 275 total to collect a $220,000 cheque.
"It feels, it sounds a cliche, but it feels awesome," Wie said after her round.
"For sure, it's definitely (a monkey) off my back. I think that hopefully life will be a lot better, but I still have a lot of work to do. I still have a lot to improve."
Starting the day joint leader with Cristie Kerr, Wie notched birdies on the first, third and 11th before stumbling at the 12th with a bogey.
She held firm with five straight pars, however, before sealing the victory in style on the last, a 30yd bunker shot landing a foot from the hole for a tap-in birdie.
"I was just focusing on just not hitting anyone in the crowd," said Wie when asked about the winning shot.
"It's a shot that I feel comfortable with. I just went up and walked up to it, looked at it, and hit it. I didn't give myself any time to doubt myself."
The win moved Wie to 14th on the LPGA money list with $918,659, behind leader Shin Ji-yai of South Korea on $1,775,104.
Wie, long touted to become a great of the game, became the youngest person, and the fourth female, to play in a US PGA Tour event when she missed the cut at the 2004 Sony Open.
Catriona Matthew, the Women's British Open champion from North Berwick, finished joint eighth with a five-under-par total of 283 - eight shots behind the winner.
HOW THEY FINISHED
Par 288 (4x72)
275 Michelle Wie (USA) 70 66 70 69
277 Paula Creamer (USA) 67 69 71 70
278 Jiyai Shin 67 66 74 71, Morgan Pressel (USA) 72 68 71 67, Cristie Kerr (USA) 69 70 67 72
281 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 71 69 72 69, Song-Hee Kim 65 72 70 74
283 Mariajo Uribe (Col) 67 72 74 70, Yani Tseng (Tai) 72 68 69 74, In Kyung Kim 71 74 65 73, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 68 75 69 71, Brittany Lang (USA) 69 70 72 72, Mi Jung Hur 70 70 72 71
284 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 73 69 71 71, Brittany Lincicome (USA) 69 70 73 72
285 Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 71 72 70 72, Sun Young Yoo 73 72 67 73, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 72 67 72 74
287 Na Yeon Choi 74 71 72 70, Kristy McPherson (USA) 71 69 71 76
288 Karrie Webb (Aus) 73 72 70 73
289 Juli Inkster (USA) 71 75 74 69, Candie Kung (Tai) 73 69 73 74
290 Ji-Young Oh 74 72 71 73, Hee-Won Han 71 76 70 73, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 75 69 73 73, Laura Davies (Eng) 76 69 73 72
291 Seon Hwa Lee 71 73 73 74, Sophia Sheridan (Mex) 72 73 73 73, Eun Hee Ji 68 74 76 73, Katherine Hull (Aus) 70 73 74 74
295 Se Ri Pak 75 73 74 73
297 Angela Stanford (USA) 73 75 77 72
298 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 75 74 68 81
305 Hee Young Park 79 70 78 78
Labels: LPGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 12:00:00 PM
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