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Golf

Lorena Ochoa’s impact in women’s golf still huge 15 years after retirement

May 21, 2025 by Tara S

Todd Kelly | SportsWeek

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — The LPGA has returned to Mexico for the first time since 2017 and the people probably most excited for it are the eight Mexican golfers in the 136-player field. Well, except for maybe one person.

That would be the greatest Mexican golfer of all time, Lorena Ochoa.

Lorena Ochoa from Mexico celebrates at St. Andrews in Scotland after winning the 2007 Women's British Open.

“Amazing. This morning, I woke up, and I was just trying to think you know, how especially how important it is and maybe not as many people realize as much I do,” she told Golfweek shortly after hitting a ceremonial tee shot on the 18th hole on Wednesday to officially kick off the 2025 Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba. “I know how hard it is to have an event here and get the sponsors. … this is a beautiful place.

“To see what is a real LPGA event, to have it back, I’m really excited.”

Born in Guadalajara and currently residing in Mexico City, Ochoa is visiting the El Camaleon Golf Course in Playa del Carmen this week to welcome the tour back to her home country as well as to catch up with the current generation of LPGA golfers.Need a break? 

That includes Maria Fassi, proud to be playing in her home country for the first time as a professional.

“It’s everything we always dreamt of as kids. We would come out and watch Lorena play,” Fassi said Tuesday. “And then to kind of have that taken away for I think it’s seven years since the last one, and then now us be the ones that people are watching and coming out to support, it’s just amazing. It’s an honor to represent Mexico everywhere we go.”

Lorena Ochoa during the third round of the 2007 Ginn Open at Reunion Resort.

Fassi said she first met Ochoa when she was “10 or 11” and said if not for Ochoa, she would’ve never considered playing golf, much less at the professional level.

“So, yeah, it’s pretty cool that she’s now kind of coming to watch us and support us. To me, she gets to see what she did, and I think it’s very special, I know for all of us, but I hope that she knows that she’s the reason why the eight of us are here.”

Isabella Fierro knows the golf course well. She grew up in Playa del Carmen and has played El Camaleon dozens of times and is thrilled the LPGA is back in Mexico.

“I’ve known this course since I was probably 12 years old. I play local tournaments here, international events, so I have a deep love for this golf course,” Fierro said. “Just the environment, everything about it is just awesome, and seeing the LPGA out here is just, that’s how far Mexican women’s golf has grown.”

Ochoa was the spark that started it all. A four-time player of the year and winner of 27 LPGA events, including two majors, Ochoa retired suddenly at age 28 in 2010, shocking the golf world. She was short of the then-required 10-year playing career for LPGA Hall of Fame induction, but that rule was later changed and she got in the Hall in 2022.

Ochoa’s legacy is being felt all over the tournament this week and that includes the record number of Mexicans competing in the same LPGA event: Maria Balcazar, Maria Fassi, Isabella Fierro, Fernanda Lira, Gaby Lopez, Andrea Ostos, Carolina Rotzinger and Clarisa Temelo. Five of those eight are in the field on sponsor exemptions, including Temelo, an amateur.

“I can tell you I speak to some of the presidents from the different courses, the different clubs in Mexico and when they tell me, ‘You know, Lorena, we don’t know what to do, we have so many kids,’ and I laugh,” Ochoa said. “It’s a good problem to have, so I just want to say that it makes me really proud, honor, happy, because it’s all about the growth of the game and we see that the numbers are going up, new golf courses, it’s more accessible. I’m working with the Mexican Federation about having a public facility. We’re holding our golf academy on Sundays. We give it for free, for the kids.”

Lorena Ochoa tees off on the seventh hole during the fourth round of the 2007 Ginn Open at Reunion Resort.

Another competitor this week, Albane Valenzuela, is Swiss but she was born in the U.S. to a Mexican father and French mother.

“Oh, my gosh, Lorena is the GOAT,” raved Valenzuela. “She’s the coolest player. She’s probably one of the reasons I started even playing golf. My dad won with Lorena back in the day, the Spirit, like a form of world championship, if you want to call it, and he always said how incredible of a human being she was. Me growing up and as a teenager, she always took time to talk to me, brought me golf balls, brought me her polos, and I just always had very fond memories of her. I think she’s the most gracious, humble champion that golf has ever produced. Really one of a kind, and the fact that she’s here this week supporting is super special.”

Ochoa’s legacy spreads far and wide, even to South Korea. That’s where Sei Young Kim, a 12-time winner on the LPGA, grew up. One of those wins was the last LPGA event held in Mexico in 2017.

“She’s a legend. When I grew up, I watched her play and I, when I played her tournament [2017 Lorena Ochoa Match Play], I saw her. I met her,” Kim said. “I was like so nervous. I feel like I meet the superstar.”

Filed Under: Golf, Women's Golf

Nelly Korda Kicks Off 2025 LPGA Run with 2nd Place Tour of Champions Finish

February 4, 2025 by Tara S

US golf star Nelly Korda came out swinging this weekend, taking second place at the Tournament of Champions to launch her 2025 LPGA campaign.

The world No. 1 narrowly fell to tournament winner No. 35 A Lim Kim, with the South Korean standout picking up her third career LPGA win and her second since November 2024. Her 20-under-par result also marked her second straight win in which she never trailed at the end of any round.

Korda pulled within one stroke of Kim on the back nine, before the eventual champion surged ahead with three birdies in her last four holes. With her 7-under Sunday performance, Korda finished the tournament at an impressive 18-under.

The result marked Korda’s fifth-straight Top 5 finish, a streak that dates back to last August’s AIG Women’s Open.

“This is what I love about golf — being in the hunt on a Sunday going down the back nine,” an upbeat Korda told reporters after her final round. “I’m never going to complain finishing second in a tournament and giving it a run… There are definitely a couple putts I would like to have back, but overall I think I’m very happy with this week and excited for next week.”

Nelly Korda lines up a putt at the 2025 LPGA Tournament of Champions.
Korda is eyeing another top finish on her home course next weekend. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Next up: Korda’s home course advantage

The LPGA next lands in Korda’s hometown of Bradenton, Florida, for the Founders Cup, which tees off on Thursday.

That home course advantage, as well as the fact that Korda won the Drive On Championship on those links last season, makes her the tournament’s unofficial favorite this year.

Fellow US star and world No. 14 Rose Zhang is the Founders Cup’s defending champion, with her win snapping Korda’s historic five-tournament win streak last year. That said, the 2024 edition took place at New Jersey’s Upper Montclair Country Club, so the Florida relocation removes the course familiarity that would normally give the reigning title-holder an assumed edge.

Korda’s preparation for the upcoming competition will be intentionally light, as she doesn’t normally practice during tournament weeks.

“Definitely some areas where I feel like I need to kind of tighten up some loose ends,” Korda said on Sunday. “Overall, I think I can’t complain about the state of my golf game right now.”

Unlike her jam-packed season start last year, this week’s even will be Korda’s last before a seven-week pause. She has opted out of three upcoming tournaments — the Honda LPGA Thailand, the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, or the Blue Bay LPGA in China.

Korda will instead return to play at the end of March, when the Ford Championship tees off in Chandler, Arizona.

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Golf, Women's Golf Tagged With: Nelly Korda

Team USA wins Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017 with victory over Europe

September 26, 2024 by Tara S

By Thomas Schlachter, CNN

The United States reclaimed the Solheim Cup for the first time in seven years with a 15 ½ – 12 ½ victory over the Europeans on Sunday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.

Lilia Vu, who was 2 down with two holes left to play, sealed the win for the Americans, hitting an incredible approach shot around a couple feet from the hole on the par-4 18th before sinking the birdie putt to secure the clinching half-point. Europe’s Albane Valenzuela had a chance to extend the match but missed her 30-foot birdie putt attempt to open the door to Vu’s heroics.

“I can’t even put it into words,” Vu said after the match. “I felt like I didn’t do my part this week and I wanted to get something done. I said to my caddie on 16, I felt like I haven’t done anything for this team, and then 16 comes, and I’m in the back bunker.

“I feel like, ‘oh, no, I have to make up-and-down,’ and she’s been making one-putts on almost every single green so I thought she was going to birdie that hole too. She didn’t, and the then I ended up making up-and-down from the bunker and somehow birdied 17 and got it done on 18 to get the half point.”

Team USA’s Lilia Vi hits a tee shot at the Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Golf Club
Team USA’s Lilia Vi hits a tee shot at the Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Golf Club Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Team USA dominated throughout the weekend in its quest to win back the Solheim Cup at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia.

Team USA last won the Solheim Cup in 2017 with Europe winning in 2019 and 2021 before retaining the trophy in 2023 when the teams drew 14-14.

The US took a huge 6-2 lead after the opening day of golf, a record-breaking advantage. World No. 1 Nelly Korda led the USA’s challenge, winning both her matches as the USA underlined its dominance.

While Europe looked to fight back on day two, Team USA constantly prevented the Europeans from clawing back the deficit and held on to lead 10-6 after the second day.

Europe went into day three needing to repeat the Miracle of Medinah from the 2012 Ryder Cup – the men’s equivalent of the Solheim Cup.

In that tournament, Europe also trailed by four points heading into day three but came back to secure a historic 14.5 to 13.5 win – winning eight and tying one of the twelve singles matches.

Although Britain’s Charley Hull produced a remarkable round of golf to defeat Korda in the first singles match and kickstart a European comeback, it was ultimately too little too late.

Team USA’s Megan Khang, Rose Zhang, and Allisen Corpuz all won their matches on Sunday, while Andrea Lee, Lauren Coughlin and Vu earned half-points to clinch the victory for the Americans.

Filed Under: Golf, Women's Golf Tagged With: Nelly Korda

AMY YANG WINS FIRST MAJOR TITLE AT KPMG WOMEN’S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

July 10, 2024 by Tara S

by: Emma Hruby | Just Women’s Sports

Amy Yang won her first LPGA tour event on Sunday, taking home the title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. 

At 34 years old, Yang is the oldest major winner in the LPGA since 2018 when Angela Stanford won the Evian Championship at age 40.

“At one point I thought, ‘Will I ever win a major championship before I retire?'” Yang said after securing the victory. “And I finally did it and it’s just amazing. Golf is really just like a fight against myself. I think I proved myself that I can compete and I can do this.”

The South Korea national ended the tournament with an even-par 72 to finish at seven-under 281. At one point, she was at 10 under and held a seven-shot lead that no challenger was able to overcome. 

It was also Yang’s 75th major start, the most before a player’s first major win since Stanford won hers in her 76th major start.

“It’s been incredible all this week — everyone was rooting for me,” Yang said. “I want to go sign some autographs for them.”

Filed Under: Golf, Women's Golf

NELLY KORDA CONTINUES UNPRECEDENTED LPGA RUN

May 22, 2024 by Tara S

by: Emma Hruby | Just Women’s Sports

Nelly Korda continued her unprecedented LPGA run on Sunday, winning her sixth tournament in the last seven starts. 

The 25-year-old Florida native took home the title at the Mizuho Americas Open, becoming the first LPGA player to record six wins in a single season since 2013 — and that’s with three majors and a little over half the season left to play.

“Oh, my gosh, six,” Korda said after the win. “I can’t even really gather myself right now with that, the head-to-head that Hannah and I had pretty much all day. Wasn’t my best stuff out there today, but fought really hard on the back nine.”

Korda is just the fourth player on tour to win six times before June 1st, joining LPGA Hall of Famers Babe Zaharias (1951), Louise Suggs (1953), and Lorena Ochoa (2008).

Should her victory run continue, Korda could break the current record for single-season wins, currently set at 13 by Mickey Wright in 1963.

Korda ended Sunday’s tournament one shot ahead of Hannah Green, finishing the 18th with a par putt to win it all.

“I mean, to lose to Nelly kind of like is — it’s sad, but then it’s also Nelly Korda,” Green said of her second-place finish. “You know, like she’s obviously so dominant right now. To feel like second behind her is quite nice. Unfortunately the bogey on the last has a little bit of a sour taste.”

Next up is the US Women’s Open, a tournament that Korda has yet to win in her career. 

“Obviously it’s on the top of my priority list,” she said. “I just know there is never any good when you put more pressure on yourself. Just going to stay in my bubble that week and take it a shot at a time.”

Earlier this year, Korda became the fastest player to collect $2 million in prize money over a single season. This latest win earned her an additional $450,000, bringing her season total up to $2,943,708.

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Golf, Women's Golf Tagged With: Nelly Korda

LPGA Tour star Nelly Korda joins elite company with 5th straight win

April 23, 2024 by Tara S

 By Scott Thompson Fox News

While Scottie Scheffler is wreaking havoc on the PGA Tour, Nelly Korda is doing the exact same on the LPGA Tour. 

Korda won the Chevron Championship on Sunday, the year’s first major on the LPGA Tour, and it marked her fifth straight victory. 

Korda, 25, joined Annika Sorestam and Nancy Lopez as the only members on Tour who have won five consecutive events. It was also Korda’s second career major victory, having won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2021. 

“It’s been an amazing feeling these past couple weeks knowing that I can go on this stretch and that if I stay in my bubble and I keep golf in a sense simple and let it flow, then I can have so, so much fun out here,” Korda said, via ESPN.

Korda was able to hoist the Chevron Championship trophy after birdying the par-5 18th hole at Carlton Woods in Texas. She beat out Maja Stark, who birdied her final two holes to pull within one stroke of Korda.

Korda’s 13-under performance for the tournament had several highlights, too, including a chip-in birdie on the par-4 10th hole in her final round that left the crowd roaring. 

With the victory, Korda won $1.2 million from the $7.9 million purse for the major. She has now earned $2,424,216 this year. 

There was a time where Korda wasn’t sure when she’d be back on a golf course, as she dealt with a blood clot that required surgery in 2022. 

“Because obviously then I was just more scared for my health,” she said. “Competing was kind of on the back seat. I was not thinking about competing at all. But I think all of the sad times and the health scares that I have gone through have made me who I am today.”

She’s the world No. 1 women’s golfer and miraculously hasn’t lost an event since January. 

Next week, though, Korda isn’t going to make it six in a row, as she announced her withdrawal from the JM Eagle LA Championship. 

“It was not an easy decision. After the unbelievable week at The Chevron and grinding through the mental and physical challenges of four events in the past five weeks, I am definitely feeling exhausted,” she explained. “With so much still to come throughout 2024, I feel I need to listen to my body and get some rest, so I can be ready for the remainder of the season.”

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Golf, Women's Golf Tagged With: Nelly Korda

NELLY KORDA BECOMES FIRST LPGA PRO TO WIN THREE TITLES IN A ROW SINCE 2016

April 1, 2024 by Tara S

By: Andy Roberts | Golf Magic

NELLY KORDA BECOMES FIRST LPGA PRO TO WIN THREE TITLES IN A ROW SINCE 2016

World No.1 Nelly Korda continues her golden run with three straight wins on the LPGA Tour. 

Nelly Korda becomes first LPGA pro to win three titles in a row since 2016

Nelly Korda has become the first player since Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 to win three straight titles on the LPGA Tour following victory at the Ford Championship.

Korda, 25, closed with a flawless 7-under 65 to finish the week on 20-under par and two strokes clear of Hira Naveed.

It marked her 11th win on the LPGA Tour. 

The win also makes it a consecutive hat-trick for Korda having also won the LPGA Drive On Championship on 28 January and the Fir Hills Seri Park Championship on 24 March. 

“To win three in a row is just a dream come true,” said Korda.

That matches a feat last set by Jutanugarn who won three straight events on the LPGA Tour in 2016.

Jutanugarn won the Yokohama Tire LPGA Clasic, Kingsmill Championship and LPGA Volvik Championship that season. 

Prior to that, Inbee Park achieved the feat in 2013 and so did Lorena Ochoa in 2008. 

Korda will need to keep her foot on the gas to achieve the outright LPGA Tour record of consecutive wins as the current record is five. 

That was set by Nancy Lopez in 1978 and Annika Sorenstam in 2005. 

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Golf, Women's Golf

Lexi Thompson to play in PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open

October 4, 2023 by Tara S

By: Michael Collins, ESPN Senior Writer

Lexi Thompson is set to become the seventh woman ever to tee it up against the men on the PGA Tour.

Thompson, 28, accepted a sponsor invitation to play in the Shriners Children’s Open, which begins Oct. 12 in Las Vegas.

“I’m hopeful that my ability to play with the men next week at the Shriners Children’s Open sends a great message to the young women that you can chase your dream regardless of how hard it is,” Thompson said in a statement Wednesday announcing her entry. “I’m grateful to Shriners Children’s for this opportunity to spend the week alongside these inspirational kids.”

Thompson is no stranger to making history. At age 12 in 2007, she became the youngest player ever to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open. She also became the youngest winner of an LPGA tournament when she took the Navistar LPGA Classic at age 16 in 2011.

Since joining the LPGA in 2012, Thompson has 11 victories.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lexi to the 2023 tournament,” said Patrick Lindsey, executive director of the Shriners Children’s Open. “We are eager to have Lexi on the course and continue to break through barriers.”

Brittany Lincicome was the last woman to play a PGA Tour event, teeing it up at the 2018 Barbasol Championship. Ten years before that, Michelle Wie West played in the 2008 Legends Reno-Tahoe Open. Wie West played in eight PGA Tour events throughout her career. The other women who have played on the tour: Suzy Whaley, Annika Sorenstam, Shirley Spork and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.

Filed Under: Athlete Spotlight, Golf, Women's Golf

Qualifier Chanettee Wannasaen, 19, wins Portland Classic

September 6, 2023 by Tara S

  • ESPN News Services

PORTLAND, Ore. — Teenager Chanettee Wannasaen played a five-hole stretch in 6 under early in the final round Sunday and closed with a near-flawless 9-under 63 for a four-stroke victory at the Portland Classic to become the first Monday qualifier to win on the LPGA Tour since 2015.

Wannasaen arrived at Portland ranked 367th and having missed nine straight cuts in her rookie season. The 19-year-old from Thailand credited her caddie for keeping her calm and put together four stellar rounds in the 60s at Columbia Edgewater. She shattered the tournament scoring record by five strokes with a 26-under 262 total for her first LPGA Tour victory.

“I don’t give up. Yeah, I don’t give up,” Wannasaen said.

Wannasaen is just the third qualifier to win on tour. Canada’s Brooke Henderson was the last Monday qualifier to win, taking the same Portland event in 2015. The other qualifier to finish first was American Laurel Kean, who claimed the State Farm Classic in 2000.

Third-round leader Megan Khang failed in her bid to win consecutive events. The 25-year-old American, a winner a week ago the CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy in Vancouver, British Columbia — her first on tour — closed with a 1-under 71 and finished alone in sixth place at 19 under.

Khang was satisfied with her performance over the last two tiring weeks.

“You know, game is pretty solid,” she said after a round that included three birdies and two bogeys on the back nine. “I mean, I can’t really say too much about today. A couple putts didn’t drop, but overall, I mean, Chanettee played amazing. … You’re out there and there is nothing you can do about that. Gave myself a bunch of chances … again, putts didn’t drop.”

Wannasaen, who had previously won on the Access Series of the Ladies European Tour and Thai LPGA, lost a playoff to Yue Ren last week in Idaho in the Epson Tour’s Circling Raven Championship. She admitted the extended run of missed cuts weighed on her, but she credited the Epson Tour with boosting her confidence.

Xiyu Lin of China closed with a 64 for a 22-under 266 total and was second. China’s Ruoning Yin (64), American Gina Kim (66) and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda (67) tied for third another stroke back..

Tied for second place entering the round, Wannasaen charged into the lead with birdies at Nos. 3 and 5, an eagle at the par-5 fifth, and two more birdies at the sixth and seventh holes — a stretch of 6 under that catapulted her into the lead at 23 under.

She carded a 30 on the front nine and was never really pressured on the inward nine, methodically playing the back and adding three more birdies to her total. She increased her advantage with consecutive birdies at Nos. 13 and 14, and she added another at the 17th to increase her lead to five stokes with four to play.

“I really like this course because I can make a lot of birdies, and I think the course is really beautiful,” Wannasaen said.

One of few hiccups in her final round came at the 72nd hole when Wannasaen, who hit 13 of 14 fairways, powered her approach long and over the green — one of three missed greens in regulation in the final round. She chipped short but punctuated her bogey-free round and victory with a 10-foot par putt.

Lin, who changed her putting grip this week, feverishly tried to rally from an opening 71 that included two bogeys and a double-bogey. But she just wasn’t able to complete her comeback.

Filed Under: Athlete Spotlight, Golf

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