RICHMOND, Texas — Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin‘s duel for LPGA player of the year fittingly came down to the final hole of the season.
Anna Nordqvist won the LPGA Tour Championship on Monday and Ochoa finished second to earn the top player title for the fourth consecutive year.
The 22-year-old Nordqvist shot a final-round 65 to finish 13 under par. Ochoa was two strokes back and won the top player honor when Shin couldn’t chip in for birdie from the front of the 18th hole.
“I always say that I want to stay on top as long as I continue playing, so this is just a great year for me.” Ochoa said.
Shin led Ochoa by eight points (156-148) in the race entering the tournament. Once Ochoa secured second place, Shin had to finish no worse than seventh to win the player of the year award.
The 21-year-old South Korean fell short in her bid to win the rookie and player of the year awards. Nancy Lopez remains the only player to sweep both titles, in 1978.
Boxer dies
PHILADELPHIA — A former national Golden Gloves boxing champion died two days after collapsing after a bout in Philadelphia.
Boxing promoter Dominic Pesoli said 25-year-old Francisco Rodriguez died Sunday night after losing a USBA super bantamweight bout against Teon Kennedy on Friday night.
Philadelphia promoter J. Russell Peltz said Rodriguez began to lose consciousness as the Chicago boxer sat in his corner after the fight was stopped in the 10th round.
Northeastern ends football
BOSTON — Northeastern University is ending its football program after 74 seasons because the investment required to make it competitive was too high.
The university said players will keep their athletic scholarships through graduation if they obtain their degrees at Northeastern.
• Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy says injured quarterback Zac Robinson has resumed throwing and should play for the 11th- ranked Cowboys on Saturday at Oklahoma.
• Missouri coach Gary Pinkel says he’s “very confident” that leading rusher Derrick Washington will play this week in the Tigers’ regular-season finale against Kansas.
• Western Kentucky has hired Stanford assistant Willie Taggart as its football coach.
• Sam Houston State has fired coach Todd Whitten after a 5-6 season and a fifth-place finish in the Southland Conference.
Footnotes.
Tracy McGrady returned to practice with the Houston Rockets for the first time since microfracture surgery in February, but the seven-time all-star still doesn’t know when he’ll play.
McGrady said he can play now, but Rockets coach Rick Adelman has said he’s not ready.
• Shortstop Omar Vizquel has agreed to $1,375,000, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox.
• The NHL suspended Montreal Canadiens enforcer Georges Laraque five games for a hit on Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall.
The Associated Press
