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Ochoa sizzles in Singapore
28/02/2008 10:30 - (SA)
Singapore - World number one Lorena Ochoa started her season with a sizzling 66 on Thursday to lead Ai Miyazoto and Paula Creamer by one shot at the inaugural HSBC Women's Champions tournament.
The Mexican, who dominated the game last year, opted out of the opening two LPGA events in Hawaii but proved she has lost none of the electric form that saw her win eight times in 2007, including her first major.
The 26-year-old went to the turn at four under on a hot and humid day and ground out two more birdies in the race to the clubhouse.
On her heels are Japanese starlet Miyazato, who mixed six birdies with a solitary bogey, and American world number five Creamer, who is in blistering form after winning the Fields Open last weekend.
Two strokes adrift are Sweden's Linda Wessberg, and South Korean pair Kim In-Kyung and Lee Jee-Young.
World number one Annika Sorenstam, who bounced back with a victory at the SBS Open in Hawaii this month after an injury-plagued 2007, struggled to find her groove and has a mountain to climb after shooting 71.
Ochoa overtook Sorenstam atop the world rankings last April, ending a reign the Swede started when they were first introduced in February 2006, and Sorenstam has made clear she wants pole position back.
South Korea's Se Ri Pak, a 24-time winner on the LPGA, and one of Asia's great hopes, had a horror start with a seven-over-par 79.
The tournament, with two million dollars in prize money at Tanah Merah Country Club, is the biggest and richest women's event staged in the region.
Only winners on the LPGA Tour, and champions from the Ladies European Tour and tours in Japan, Korea, Australasia and Asia were eligible.
- AFP
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