Sun Mar 30 21:53:21 2008

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Ochoa rolls to big win at Safeway International

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Superstition Mountain, AZ (Sports Network) - Lorena Ochoa fired a six- under 66 Sunday to repeat as champion at the Safeway International.

Ochoa, who has won twice in three starts this year, completed her 19th tour win at 22-under-par 266.

"Today was a tough day, especially in the morning," admitted Ochoa, who picked up $225,000 for the win. "I am just very motivated. I just want to get back to No. 1 on the money list and to stay at the top. I need to win a few tournaments and I am working hard to make sure that happens."

Ochoa, who did take over the top spot on the money list with this win, became the fourth player to repeat as champion at this event. She has won her two titles this year by 11 and seven strokes.

Jee Young Lee entered the final round one stroke behind Ochoa. However, Lee only managed an even-par 72 to end alone in second at 15-under-par 273.

Minea Blomqvist closed with a five-under 67 to take third place at minus-14. First- and second-round leader Angela Stanford (74) and Eun Hee Ji (65) shared fourth place at 13-under-par 275.

Annika Sorenstam, a three-time winner here, closed with a two-under 70 to share ninth place at 11-under-par 277.

Ochoa birdied the par-five second for the fourth straight day to remain one ahead of Lee, who also birdied the second, and Stanford, who had birdied the first to move to 16-under.

The Mexican fell back into a share of the lead with Stanford as she bogeyed the second. Ochoa moved back in front with a birdie on No. 4.

Stanford, who opened the week with a course-record 62, fell out of contention with back-to-back bogeys from the sixth on the Prospector Course at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club.

Ochoa also bogeyed the sixth to drop back to 16-under. No matter, she still led by one as Lee went birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey from the second.

From there, it was vintage Ochoa. She sank a nine-foot birdie putt on the eighth and made it two straight with a birdie on nine that got her to 18- under.

Ochoa was not done either. After sinking a 15-footer for birdie on 13, she drove the green at the par-four 14th. Ochoa two-putted for birdie, then made it three straight with a kick-in birdie on 15.

That third birdie pushed Ochoa's lead to seven. She parred 16 and 17 before making birdie on the par-five 18th for the fourth day in a row.

Trailing by three around the turn, Lee fell further off the pace as she bogeyed the 11th and 12th. She recovered those strokes with birdies on 14 and 18, but that only got her back to even-par for her round.

Stanford tried to bounce back from her consecutive bogeys on the front nine with a birdie at nine, but it wasn't nearly enough.

After a bogey on the 12th, she faltered to a triple-bogey on the par-five 13th to fall seven off the pace. She got two of those shots back with birdies on 14 and 18, but that was only good enough to give her a share of fourth.

Brittany Lang (67), Maria Hjorth (68) and Christina Kim (71) shared sixth place at 12-under-par 276. Sorenstam was joined at minus-11 by Laura Davies, Inbee Park, Hee Young Park and Lindsey Wright.