June25 Wegmansochoa
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Lorena Ochoa vanquished the playoff demons and now the world’s No. 1 player is aiming for her first major title.
Ochoa erased a three-shot deficit over the last two regulation holes Sunday and then beat South Korean rookie In-Kyung Kim in a playoff to capture the Wegmans LPGA for the second time in three years.
The 25-year-old Mexican star closed with a 1-over-par 73 for an 8-under 280 total on the Locust Hill course and won with a par on the second playoff hole. She eagled the par-5 17th and got even on the last hole when Kim missed a 4-foot putt for par.
“It was a really good thing – not the beginning of the day but the end of the day,” Ochoa said. “I just never lost my hope.”
It was her first playoff victory in five attempts, and the first playoff finish at this tournament in suburban Rochester since Patty Sheehan defeated Ayako Okamoto in 1989.
“This is really a good turning point winning a playoff,” Ochoa said, adding that “I like my chances for next week,” at the US Women’s Open.
Ochoa earned $270,000 to extend her lead on the money list to $1.52 million. That’s almost a half-million dollars more than her nearest rival, Suzann Pettersen of Norway.
The 19-year-old Kim, who closed with a 72, has made steady progress this year. Her previous best finish was a tie for fourth at last month’s Corning Classic. She missed the cut in four of her first six outings but stayed through the weekend in the past six, tying for 21st at the LPGA Championship two weeks ago.
