DANVILLE, Calif., 9 October 2007 — Suzann Pettersen put her name above Lorena Ochoa’s at long last, sinking a birdie putt from about 6 feet on the second playoff hole Sunday to win the Longs Drugs Challenge.
Pettersen watched as Ochoa just missed a long putt from more than 20 feet before calmly making the winner and pumping her fist several times. They both birdied the first playoff hole, with Ochoa make an 18-footer.
“Do it again, Lorena!” someone yelled as she made her way back onto the 18th green. Norway’s Pettersen finished with a 1-over 73 to match Mexico’s Ochoa (71) at 11-under 277. Pettersen earned $165,000 (€116,723) for her third victory of the season. The women embraced after both played aggressive golf all day on the hilly Lakeside course at Blackhawk Country Club. Pettersen won her second playoff this year. Pettersen, who held a one-shot lead over Canada’s Lorie Kane heading into the final round and was two strokes ahead of Ochoa, had consecutive bogeys on Nos. 9 and 10 to fall three strokes back of Ochoa. Beating Ochoa had to be sweet — she trails the 25-year-old star on every major LPGA Tour list.
Ochoa was trying to win for the fourth time in her last five events, but came up short for the second straight week. She tied for third last weekend in the Navistar LPGA Classic in Prattville, Alabama. Ochoa still became the first woman to earn $3 million (€2.12 million) in a single season.
America’s Juli Inkster finished third at 7 under after a 70, while Kane (77) bogeyed the 18th hole and settled for a fourth-place tie with Natalie Gulbis (66). Nicole Castrale (69) was sixth at 5 under, and defending champion Karrie Webb, still winless this season, shot a 72 to finish at 4 under.
