Golf Central

Lorena Ochoa saved her Sunday best for afterwards after celebrating winning 2008's first golfing major in a dressing gown...

 

 

Talk of Tiger Woods winning golf's Grand Slam was put on the backburner as the world's top female with 15 sticks, Lorena Ochoa took 67 strokes to capture 2008's first major.

 

Ochoa won her second successive major by five-shots from Scandinavian duo Annika Sorenstam and Susan Pettersen on -6.

 

The celebrations were as dramatic as the golf, as the red-hot Mexican joined 20-odd family & friends for a splish & splash in the 18th greenside lake at Mission Hills before a chorus from a five-piece mariachi band belted out Spanish songs with several Mexican flags flapping in the wind.

 

Of the three titles she's held this year, the Mexican has notched up a combined victory total of 23 shots drawing comparisons with Sorenstam in her greatest years.

Perhaps it had something to do with April Fools' Day coming up, but was a week of odd behaviour in golf - from Woody Austin's stomach problems to Bubba Watson's disrespect for his elders. SG Matthews takes another slantendicular look at the happenings in golf that make us wiser for yet another week. Onwards, legions of Rusties! ...

He might look tough on the outside and can powerlift much more than his own weight, but KJ Choi could be scared of ants, which are also very strong for their size. Yes, ants. ... Plus, SG Matthews looks at why Mexican food might not be good for Lorena Ochoa, the bike-wreck that is David Feherty, and a few other reasons why this week's spin through our wacky world of golf goes a bit sideways ...

The big surprise on the LPGA this week wasn't about who won: sweet-swinging tour rookie Louise Friberg of Sweden is tipped for great things after moving up from the LET. The big surprise was that Lorena Ochoa, the world No. 1 showcasing the LPGA in her native Mexico, didn't win.

Friberg, 27, closed with a 7-under 65 despite a bout with food poisoning to edge Yani Tseng of Taiwan in the MasterCard Classic at Bosque Real Country Club in Huixquilucan, Mexico.

Said the willowy Swede: "I'm just happy to get through because I've been really sick the past two days." We're happy for Louise, too: A few more wins for the photogenic blonde and perhaps we will see more than just "Melissa Reid" and "Anna Rawson" in our page-view reports.

And Friberg did it in style. Starting the round 10 shots behind Korea's Ji-Young Oh, Friberg came out firing with an eagle and six birides to set a course record

As for Ochoa, the Mexican miss had up to 12,000 fans following her every move, and they loved her despite her Friday 76 which left her stranded 11 shots off Friberg's pace at the end: "Of course I would've loved to leave with the trophy, but I'm leaving content," said Ochoa. But Friberg went away with the serenade from the mariachis.

Champions Tour
AT&T Champions Classic: Denis "Don't call me Tom or Bubba" Watson came out on top in a playoff at Valencia Country Club in Santa Clarita, California, after tying with Brad Bryant and Loren Roberts at 7-under. It was the third title in two senior seasons for Zimbabwe's Watson as the old-timers continued to be unable to wrap things up in regulation; it was the third straight playoff on the Champions Tour.

Futures Tour
Bright House Networks Open: Former University of Nevada Las Vegas starlet Sunny Oh of Korea won a three-way playoff in the Futures Tour opener at Cleveland Heights Golf Course in Lakeland, Florida. Oh's victory in the playoff came after she, Chella Choi and Big Break: Kaanapali contestant Kim Welch all came in on 5-under 211.