Ochoa, Creamer set the pace

2007-11-18 09:52

West Palm Beach, Florida - World number one Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and American Paula Creamer each fired a 66 Saturday to lead eight qualifiers for Sunday's $1m LPGA Tour Championship showdown.

Ochoa had a bogey-free round of six under-par while Creamer followed an eagle at the 15th with her lone bogey to match Ochoa at the top after scores from the first two rounds had been wiped out.

"It was a good day, just very solid, very consistent, hit some good drives, a lot of birdie chances, and hopefully I'll have one of those tomorrow," Ochoa said.

Scores from Saturday will again be set aside, setting the stage for an 18-hole battle for the top prize in women's golf with only 100,000 dollars to the runner-up.

"I played solid," Creamer said. "I made some really good putts. I hit it pretty good.

"I'll do the same thing that I've been doing every day - go hit some balls, do some chipping and putting, and then we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Joining Ochoa and Creamer in the last eight were Australian Karrie Webb on 68, American Cristie Kerr on 69, South Korean Sarah Lee and American Natalie Gulbis on 70 and playoff survivors Mi Hyun Kim of Korea and Christina Kim.

"I think all of us have a really good chance," Ochoa said. "There's only eight players, the best players in the world, and it's going to be fun. I'm just glad that I'm going to have an opportunity."

Gulbis made bogey at 13 to stand one-over with five to play but answered with birdies on 14, 15 and 17 to finish on 70 and grab a spot in the final eight without the added drama of a playoff.

Sophie Gustafson appeared set for the Sunday showdown, making an eagle at the sixth and four birdies in a row starting at the ninth to overcome three front-nine bogeys.

But the Swede took a double-bogey at the par-3 17th and a bogey at the par-4 18th to finish on 71 with American Nicole Castrale, who also made bogey at 18, Korean Mi Hyun Kim, who had a double bogey at 18, and American Christina Kim.

US veteran Kim, one-over with five holes to play, made birdies at 14 and 15, a bogey at 16, a birdie at 17 and a par at 18 to fight her way into what was a two-hole sudden death playoff fight among four women for two Sunday spots.

The Kims advanced after replaying the 17th and 18th holes while Gustafson and Castrale were eliminated.

US veteran Juli Inkster took a bogey at 16 and double bogey at 17 to finish on 72 and miss the playoff for the final-day fireworks.

Also failing to reach the final 18 holes were South Korean Seon Hwa Lee and American Morgan Pressel on 73, Japan's Ai Miyazato, Norway's Suzann Pettersen on 74 and Britain's Catriona Matthew on 79.

- AFP