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MINNEAPOLIS: Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa, who is grieving
the loss of two family members, is seeking to win her first US
Women’s Open, which begins Thursday at Interlachen Country Club.
“The last few weeks have been
rough for me,” she said. “I feel it’s important for me to get
a rhythm, to get back my concentration on the course and I’ll be
ready to play. I’m here and I’m 100 percent and I really want to
give myself a chance to win the tournament.”
Ochoa, ranked No. 1 in the world,
has never won the most prestigious title in women’s golf. She
wants to improve on her second place showing in 2007.
Ochoa dominated the early part of
the season, winning four straight tournaments.
And even with the family
problems, she has finished third and sixth in her past two starts,
so she looms as the favorite this week.
Ochoa likes the Interlachen
course and says the greens will be challenging.
“These greens are something
else,” she said. “Even if you have a 25-foot putt, just make
sure you have an uphill putt.”
The defending champ is American
Cristie Kerr who is coming off a fifth place finish on Sunday.
“I feel pretty good about my
game,” she said. “I had a great finish last week in
Rochester.”
For all the achievements of Ochoa
and Kerr, it’s a safe bet that the biggest gallery Thursday will
follow American Michelle Wie.
Wie suffered through an injury
riddled 2007 during which she tried to play with a broken left
wrist.
But Wie, 18, says she is back
close to full health.
“I was in no condition to
play,” she said. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Looking
back on it, I think that just prolonged my injury.”
--AFP
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