Stanford Wins Title; Over $1 Million In Season Earnings
11/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Nov. 16, 2008
GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Former TCU All-American Angela Stanford became the seventh multiple winner of the 2008 LPGA Tour season with her one-shot victory at the inaugural $1 million Lorena Ochoa Invitational by Banamex and Corona Light at the Guadalajara Country Club.
The victory propelled Stanford over the $1 million mark in season earnings for the first time in her eight-year career.
Stanford earned her third career victory and second of the 2008 campaign with a four-day total of 13-under-par (68-66-72-69=275), one stroke better than 72-time LPGA Tour winner Annika Sorenstam (68-72-67-69=276, -12) and Brittany Lang (68-74-69-65=276, -12).
"I felt like I was the best version of myself today," Stanford said after accepting the $200,000 first-place check. "I stuck to my game plan. I was patient. Any time I got over a putt, I felt like I could make it, and I believed in myself."
The win is Stanford's second in her last five starts dating back to her victory at the 2008 Bell Micro Classic. She sealed the victory with a par on the 72nd hole and narrowly missed a playoff after Sorenstam missed a nine-foot birdie putt on the same hole. Stanford's day was bogey-free with three birdies including back-to-back birdies on holes 10 and 11.
Her closest challengers were Lang, who set the course record with a 7-under-par 65 on Sunday, and LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Sorenstam, who made a late charge with three birdies on the back-nine to finish one shot out. Lang's day included eight birdies - including a 40-footer on 17 to move one shot off the lead - and a lone bogey. The tie for second marks her fifth consecutive top-10 and eighth top-10 of the season.
Sorenstam, who holed a 20-foot bunker shot on the 16th hole to move one-shot back of Stanford, will make her final LPGA Tour appearance next week at the ADT Championship.
"I certainly had a chance today, but Angela played very well," Sorenstam said. "I was tracing her all day, but I never give up, kept on fighting, and I had a chance to force a playoff. Obviously I was disappointed with that but overall I thought it was a great tournament and I really tried."
Tournament hostess Lorena Ochoa carded a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday. Ochoa, who will look to successfully defend her title at the ADT Championship next week, made birdie on the 72nd hole of regulation in front of thousands of adoring fans to finish the week at 4-under-par (73-71-70-70=284) in a tie for 14th place. Ochoa is the 15th LPGA Tour player to host an event.
