honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, October 8, 2006

Ochoa keeps lead in LPGA

Associated Press

Lorena Ochoa is 18 holes away from her fourth LPGA victory of the season and first ever in her home country of Mexico.

GUILLERMO ARIAS | Associated Press

spacer spacer

MORELIA, Mexico — Lorena Ochoa moved closer to her first LPGA Tour victory in her homeland, shooting a 5-under 68 yesterday to maintain a three-stroke lead with one round left in the Corona Morelia Championship.

The 24-year-old star from Guadalajara, seeking her fourth victory of the season, had a 16-under 203 total on the hilly Tres Marias course.

"I don't like to think about being ahead or winning, or wanting to win," she said. "Obviously my dream is to win and it could be a dream come true."

Paraguay's Julieta Granada (66) was second at 13 under. First-round leader Brandie Burton (67) was 9 under, and Christina Kim (65) and Young Jo (69) were another stroke back. Wendy Ward (71) and 18-year-old Morgan Pressel (71) were 7 under.

The third round didn't feature the same fireworks for Ochoa as Friday, when she shot a course-record 64 to move atop the leaderboard. Still, she got aggressive at times, knocking a 7-iron from 177 yards away to 10 feet, than making the putt for eagle on the par-5 10th. She also converted five birdies to offset a pair of bogeys.

"I've played a lot of tournaments in Mexico. ... I'm just looking at this as one more round," Ochoa said. "I think that mentally and strategically I'm in a better place and that makes me very relaxed."

ELSEWHERE

Chrysler Classic of Greensboro: Davis Love III shot a 4-under 68 in rainy, cool conditions on the course he redesigned to gain a share of the lead after the third round of the PGA Tour event at Greensboro, N.C.

Chris Couch, who won his first PGA Tour title in New Orleans in April, had a 69 to match Love at 10-under 206 on the Forest Oaks Country Club course. Chris Smith (69), Steve Flesch (69) and John Senden (71) were a stroke back.

SAS Championship: Tom Jenkins moved into contention for his seventh career Champions Tour victory, shooting a 6-under 66 in cool and misty conditions to take the lead into the final round at Cary, N.C.

Jenkins, 58, had a 10-under 134 total on the Prestonwood Country Club course, one stroke better than Loren Roberts (68) and Chip Beck (65).

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship: Wales' Bradley Dredge shot a 1-under 71 at Kingsbarns for a 13-under 202 total and a one-stroke lead over Ireland's Padraig Harrington (68) in the European Tour tournament at St. Andrews, Scotland.