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**truebluefan** · 03-09-2008, 09:14 PM

Talk about the even in here.

**truebluefan** · 04-09-2008, 06:56 PM

MIKE SCANLAN: Lorena, this is a big week for you coming off two victories and a major championship. You have the opportunity to secure a spot in the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame with a victory here in Morelia, in your native Mexico. How special is this for you?
LORENA OCHOA: It's very special. I've had this in my mind since I won in Palm Springs. On Monday and Tuesday, I thought about how special it would be to finish on Sunday and to win the tournament. Last year, I became the number one player in the Rolex Rankings here in Morelia, so I know how special it would be to win this week. I'm ready. I'm going to try to enjoy my week and not think about that and give myself a good chance. Hopefully I'll be there on Sunday and everything will come together.

MIKE SCANLAN: Can you look back on the past year since becoming the Rolex Rankings number one here in Mexico and put it in perspective? How has it been for you?

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**truebluefan** · 04-09-2008, 06:57 PM

MIKE SCANLAN: Silvia, you're the defending champion here at the Corona Championship. Last year you became a Rolex First-Time Winner on this course. How does it feel to return?
SILVIA CAVALERRI: It feels great. I have very good memories obviously. I'm looking forward to playing with Lorena (Ochoa) tomorrow. I probably won't do as well, but maybe I can do as well as last year. I'll try my best. I know I'm in good shape with my game, although I've had some trouble in the past with my putting. It seems like coming back here I've found my touch.

Q. Your mom usually caddies for you, but last year she did not because of the elevation. How special was it to have her there watching and how special is it to have her back with you this year?

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 04-09-2008, 06:58 PM

Rolex Rankings' number one Lorena Ochoa and defending champion Silvia Cavalleri highlight the field when the LPGA Tour arrives in Mexico for the Corona Championship this week. Ochoa, who captured her second major championship and 20th-career LPGA victory last week at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, returns to her native Mexico with three wins in four events played this season.

A crowd favorite no matter what country she is playing in, Ochoa won the event in 2006 and finished tied for second in Morelia last year, two strokes behind Cavalleri. This week, she will look to win her third consecutive LPGA Tour event—a feat she most recently accomplished in 2007.

Cavalleri, a native of Italy, stole the show from the then-recently-crowned world number one Ochoa last year by carding four consecutive rounds in the 60s (69-68-69-66=272, -20). She began the final round in a three-way tie with Ochoa and Paraguay's Julieta Granada atop the leaderboard, but a 7-under-par 66 on the par-73 course at Tres Marias Residential Golf Club in the final round made her the season's third Rolex First-Time Winner.

The 6,539-yard course will play host to the $1.3 million Corona Championship for the fourth consecutive year. Carin Koch, the event's inaugural champion in 2005, is also in the field.

**truebluefan** · 04-12-2008, 07:06 AM

Lorena Ochoa shot her second straight 7-under 66 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead in the Corona Championship and move a step closer to becoming the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.

"It was a great day," Ochoa said. "No bogeys. I enjoyed that very much."

South Korea's Inbee Park was second after a 9-under 64 that tied the course record set by Ochoa in 2006 and 2007.

Park was excited about playing alongside the top-ranked Mexican star on Saturday.

"I've always wanted to, but never got a chance to because she always plays in the last group and I never do," said Park, who had 10 birdies Friday,

Ochoa, the Kraft Nabisco Championship winner Sunday for her second straight major victory and third win in three starts this year, said she liked the close competition because it pushed her to focus.

"It makes me more aggressive and try to catch up, but either way, tomorrow I'm going to play like I'm three or four shots behind and try to win the tournament," the 20-time LPGA Tour winner said.

If the 26-year-old Ochoa wins Sunday, she will earn the last of the 27 points needed to qualify for the Hall of Fame. The youngest to qualify previously was Se Ri Pak, who was 26 years when she won the Michelob Ultra Open in 2004.

The LPGA Tour awards one point for every victory and major award and two points for a major victory. Ochoa still must play 10 years on the LPGA Tour before she becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame, a goal she would reach in the 2012 season.

A victory Sunday also would also be her second at the rugged Tres Marias, a steep and often rocky course carved into a mountain valley in western Mexico. She was the Corona champion in 2006, her only tournament win on Mexican soil.

On Thursday, Ochoa eagled two par 5s in a 66 to tie for the lead with South Korea's Song-Hee Kim. On Friday, Ochoa eagled the par-5 10th.

Kim was three strokes back after a 69.

"It was tougher than yesterday," she said. "I had some tough shots. Did you see me (on) 18? It was terrible."

Ochoa has been trailed by a growing crowd of Mexican fans, many young, budding golfers who hope to follow in her footsteps. As she shuttled between media interviews Friday on a terrace overlooking the club's pool, several kids stood up in a hot tub, waving and shouting in unison: "Lorena! Congratulations!"

She paused, looked up, and waved back: "Gracias!"

Ochoa said she was enjoying the attention.

"We had great galleries and a lot of people who came to watch us play, which is very good," she said. "I just really enjoyed the day. Hopefully we have a couple more of those and take a run at the title on Sunday."

**truebluefan** · 04-14-2008, 08:40 PM

MORELIA, MICHOACAN, Mexico, April 13, 2008 – Some sports call it home-field advantage, but for Mexico's Lorena Ochoa it was more like home-country advantage at the Corona Championship. The 26-year-old finished at 25-under-par 267 (66-66-66-69) at Tres Marias Residential Golf Club to claim her 21st career LPGA title and fulfill the points requirement for the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame. She now must complete 10 years on Tour (2012) before she can officially enter the Hall.

“It was an amazing week,” said Ochoa, who has carded 18 of 19 rounds under par (94.7 percent). “I did enjoy myself a lot. It was really special to be here in my home country.”

Ochoa started the day with three birdies on the front nine, but a triple bogey on 11, combined with four consecutive birdies on holes eight through 11 by final group partner Inbee Park (69-64-72-74=279, -13), created a six-shot swing against the world number one. Ochoa bounced back with birdies on holes 13, 14, 16 and 18 to finish her day with the win.

The Rolex Rankings' number one dominated the field for the fourth time this season, winning by 11 strokes for the second time in two months (HSBC Women's Champions). With four victories in five starts this season, she has accumulated a 34-stroke margin of victory – 11 more than her combined total after eight wins in 2007. With her $195,000 payday, she became the fastest player (five events) to top the $1 million mark in season earnings ($1,055,550), bettering Annika Sorenstam's record of six events, set in 2005 (LPGA Corning Classic, $1,023,238).