Ochoa runs away to another title
Lorena Ochoa left her pursuers in the desert dust on Sunday to successfully defend her title at the Safeway International with a dominating 7-stroke victory.
The 26-year-old sensation, with three big flags from her native Mexico waving in the crowd, shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 22-under 266. She won for the second time in three tries in the young LPGA Tour season.
It was the lowest score, by 4 shots, in the five years the tournament has been held at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club.
Ochoa turned the tournament into a rout with birdies on the 13th, 14th and 15th holes, then punctuated her 19th career tour victory with a birdie tap-in on the 18th.
The world's No. 1-ranked female golfer and the LPGA Tour player of the year the past two seasons won eight times last year and has 16 victories her last 53 starts.
South Korea's Jee Young Lee, who began the day 1 shot back, shot an even-par 72 to finish at 15 under.
Minea Blomqvist of Finland (66) was third at 14 under, her best LPGA finish.
The LPGA's lone Arizona stop has the largest attendance of any tour event, but it faces an uncertain future because Safeway is dropping its sponsorship.
Ochoa, who earned $225,000, has said she would do whatever she could to keep the tournament alive. She called the open, desert layout her favorite course on the tour. She attended the University of Arizona and the event is close enough for her Mexican fans to come to watch her play. She had 8 birdies and 2 early bogeys, on the 6,662-yard Prospector course.
Angela Stanford, who broke the course record with a career-best 10-under 62 in the opening round, tied with Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea and Maria Hjorth of Sweden at 12 under.
Zurich Classic: In his 12th career start on the PGA Tour, Argentina's Andres Romero won the Zurich Classic in Avondale, La., closing with a 4-under 68 for a 1-stroke victory over Australia's Peter Lonard.
Romero, a shot behind John Merrick on Sunday morning after the completion of the third round, had a 13-under 275 total on the TPC Louisiana and earned $1,116,000.
Lonard had a chance to force a playoff, but missed a long birdie putt on 18.
Tim Wilkinson shot a 67 to finish third, 2 strokes back at 11 under.
Ginn Championship: Bernhard Langer won the Ginn Championship in Palm Coast, Fla., his second Champions Tour victory in three starts, shooting a 1-under 71 in windy conditions for an 8-stroke victory over Lonnie Nielsen and Tim Simpson.
Langer finished at 12-under 204 and earned $375,000 for his third victory in 11 career starts on the 50-and-over tour.
Andalucia Open: France's Thomas Levet won the Andalucia Open in Puerto Banus, Spain, beating 19-year-old Englishman Oliver Fisher with a par on the first hole of a playoff.