Golf

Lincicome falls short of Ochoa

By Wire services
Published April 16, 2006

LAS VEGAS - Lorena Ochoa rebounded from a painful playoff loss at the year's first major with her first victory of the season, shooting a closing 6-under 66 Saturday to win the Takefuji Classic.

Ochoa, who has lost twice in playoffs this year, wrapped up the 54-hole event at Las Vegas Country Club at 19-under 197, three shots in front of Seon Hwa Lee and five ahead of Seminole's Brittany Lincicome.

For Lincicome, it was the best finish of her young career, easily surpassing an 18th-place tie in the 2005 ShopRite LPGA Classic.

The 20-year-old, who started playing golf at 9, shot a 69 in the third-round, giving her a tournament total of 14-under 202. She earned $72,046, more than tripling her 2006 earnings.

She entered the final round in second place, trailing Ochoa by two shots, after scoring a career-low 7-under 65.

Ochoa had moved in front in the Nabisco with a record 62 the first day, remained in the lead the next two rounds and began the final day with a three-shot lead.

But she struggled on the front nine on her way to a closing 72 at Mission Hills Country Club to allow Karrie Webb to catch up. Webb then made a 7-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to deny Ochoa her first major championship.

The 24-year-old Ochoa, from Guadalajara, Mexico, opened with a 63 in Las Vegas, stayed two shots in front with a wind-blown 68 the second day, then clinched the title with her fine closing round.

Ochoa smiled as she walked to the 18th tee with a three-shot lead. After she hit her second shot on the 495-yard par 5 over the water and to the back fringe on the final hole, she broke into a big grin. She chipped within 5 feet, then rolled the ball into the center of the cup to punctuate the victory with her sixth birdie of the day.

PGA: Jim Furyk's bogey on the 18th hole dropped him into a tie for the lead with Aaron Baddeley after three rounds of the Verizon Heritage in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Furyk had a 68 and Baddeley a 66 to finish tied at 14-under, three strokes ahead of Billy Mayfair (68) at Harbour Town Golf Links.

Furyk started the round ahead by two over the 25-year-old Australian, lost that lead on the front nine yet rallied to move a stroke in front with three straight birdies on Nos. 15-17.

Furyk is trying for his first victory since last year's Western Open. Baddeley has not won a tour event.

Mayfair, who lost this tournament to Jose Coceres in a 2001 playoff, had birdies on two of his final four holes.

Ernie Els, the biggest star in the field here after the Masters, had the best score of the round at 65. Still, that left him and Jerry Kelly, tied at 10-under, well behind.

EUROPEAN PGA: David Lynn shot even-par 72 to hold onto a one-shot lead amid gale force winds during the third round of the China Open.

Lynn needed five birdies to offset four bogeys and a double bogey, which came on the par-5 11th hole of the Beijing Honghua International Golf Club course. Lynn finished at 9-under 207.

Prayad Marksaeng (72) and Jeev Milkha Singh (67) were tied for second.

Defending champion Paul Casey (70) and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (68) were two shots behind the leader, while Marcus Fraser (69), Peter Fowler (69) and Simon Wakefield (70) were another stroke back.

[Last modified April 16, 2006, 00:43:12]