“Viva Lorena!”
The chant echoed through the foothills of the Superstition Mountains as Lorena Ochoa blew a four-stroke lead to Suzann Pettersen, then birdied four of the last five holes for a two-stroke victory in the Safeway International on Sunday in Superstition Mountain, Ariz.
Wearing a green shirt and white shorts to honor her homeland, the Mexican star shot a 4-under-par 68 to rally past Pettersen (66) for her 10th LPGA Tour victory. After Ochoa holed a short birdie putt on 18, an impromptu fiesta broke out on the green with her family and members of the grounds crew.
Ochoa had visited with the workers Tuesday and thanked them for their efforts, as she does at many tournaments.
“I told them to come and celebrate with me, because this trophy is for all of you,” Ochoa said. “It was very nice to see their reaction and to see them close. Hopefully they enjoyed the day as much as I did. I’m very proud to be Mexican.”
Ochoa, the tour’s reigning player of the year, earned $225,000. She finished at 18-under.
The victory gives Ochoa momentum heading into the season’s first major – the Kraft Nabisco Championship, which tees off Thursday in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Ochoa lost to Karrie Webb in a playoff last year.
“She’s maybe the best in the world right now,” said Petter- sen, who made $137,649 for her career-best finish. “She’s just a very great player, and I think she raises the bar for all of us to chase her.”
European PGA: Daniel Vancsik shot a 4-under 68 to win the Madeira Islands Open by seven strokes in Santo Da Serra.
The Argentine, who finished at 18-under 270, won his first tour title behind seven birdies and three bogeys.
