Golf

Ochoa takes Wegmans in first playoff win

By Times Staff, Wires
Published June 25, 2007

PITTSFORD, N.Y. - Lorena Ochoa vanquished the playoff demons. Now the world's No. 1 player is aiming for her first major title.

Ochoa erased a three-shot deficit over the last two regulation holes Sunday, then beat South Korean rookie In-Kyung Kim in a playoff to capture the Wegmans LPGA for the second time in three years.

Ochoa, 25, closed with 1-over-par 73 for an 8-under 280 on the Locust Hill course and won with par on the second playoff hole. She eagled the par-5 17th and got even on the last hole when Kim missed a 4-foot par putt.

"It was a really good thing - not the beginning of the day but the end of the day, " Ochoa said. "I just never lost my hope."

It was her first playoff victory in five attempts.

Kim, 19, who closed with 72, tied for 21st at the LPGA Championship two weeks ago. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome finished Sunday 3-under 285 and tied for eighth.

PGA: Hunter Mahan earned his first victory, winning the Travelers Championship in a playoff a year after finishing second. Mahan, in his fourth year on tour, sank a 2-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole in Cromwell, Conn., to beat 40-year-old journeyman Jay Williamson. Mahan, 25, had just one other top-10 finish this year, tying for fifth at the Shell Houston Open in April. Dunedin's Bob Heintz finished 3-over 283 in a tie for 61st.

CHAMPIONS: Jay Haas shot a final-round 66 to win the Bank of America Championship in Concord, Mass., finishing at 13-under and earning his fourth victory of the year.

NATIONWIDE: Kyle McCarthy of Gulfport finished second at the Knoxville (Tenn.) Open, two strokes behind Chez Reavie. McCarthy, 24, shot 14-under 274.

FUTURES: Brooksville's Kelly Lagedrost shot 2-under 70 to finish tied for ninth at the Duramed Championship in Batavia, Ohio. She totaled 6-under 210, nine shots behind the leader. Clearwater's Jenny Gleason finished 4-under 212 in a tie for 15th, and Elizabeth Stuart of Tampa was two strokes back of her after a final-round 73. Tampa's Beth Bauer shot 3-over 75 and tied for 36th.

Valrico's Galloway wins State Amateur

PALM HARBOR - Although winner Matthew Galloway couldn't be described as a birdie machine in the final round of the State Amateur Championship at Innisbrook's Copperhead course, his two early birdies offset two late bogeys to ensure a two-stroke victory over a strong youth-oriented field.

He posted rounds of 69-70-70-71 for 4-under 280.

Galloway combined accurate iron play with a steady putting - no three-putt greens in 72 holes - to secure the win.

"I didn't come here with any expectations, " said Galloway, 21, a senior at the University of West Florida via Durant High in Valrico. "But my driving was solid, I hit my irons well all week and avoided three putts."

Song Jeon closed strong with 2-under 69 to capture second at 282, just ahead of Jhared Hack and Tyson Alexander, who also shot 69 for 283. Alexander will be a University of Florida sophomore in the fall playing for his father, coach Buddy Alexander.

Florida State sophomore Cameron Knight (284) tied for fifth with Danny Simmerman and 2005 state champion Ryan Abbate.

Times correspondent Dave Theall contributed to this report.

[Last modified June 24, 2007, 23:58:19]