The 19^th Hole

April 18, 2007

Do You Really Want It?

Lorena Ochoa has been widely regarded as the best player on the LPGA Tour since the tail end of the 2006 season.  Ochoa was named Player of the Year on Tour last year and she won the money list title for the first time in her career.  Despite those accolades and even recognition from Annika Sorenstam, Ochoa has not been officially recognized in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking as the best female player in the world.

That’s not to say that Ochoa has not been close to taking over the top spot in the rankings.  Over the past two years since the ranking has been introduced, Ochoa has been chipping away from Sorenstam’s once seemingly insurmountable dominance. 

Then, the changing of the guard became a statistical reality just a few weeks ago at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.  Both players were in the field for the first major on the LPGA Tour schedule for what was billed as the duel to determine the number one female player in the world.  With a victory in the event, Ochoa could officially overtake Annika and become only the second person to ever hold the distinction of being the number one ranked female in the world.

Ochoa seemed to have things in hand through the better part of three rounds.  She was close to the lead or in the lead for almost the entire tournament.  That is until she fired a seven on the fifty-third hole of the tournament and she never recovered.  Though Ochoa finished strongly in the event, her only path to the number ranking in the world was with a victory.  Denied the win that went to Morgan Pressel because of a failure to finish, Ochoa would have to wait for another opportunity to become number one.

That chance was to be the Ginn Open near Orlando, Florida.  95 of the top 100 players, including Ochoa and Annika, would be in the field for the third richest purse on the LPGA Tour schedule.  Again, a victory by Ochoa would launch her to the number one ranking.  Then, on Thursday morning, Annika Sorenstam withdrew from the event, citing a ruptured and herniated disc in her back that would keep her out of action for at least the next month.  Even though it was an unfortunate development, it was one that cleared the way for Ochoa to secure the number one spot in the world.

Again, through three rounds, it seemed like the final round on Sunday could become a coronation ceremony for Ochoa.  Though challenged by Laura Davies and other stars, Ochoa seemed poised to close the door and become the top dog on the LPGA Tour.  It appeared that Lorena Ochoa, through the front nine on Sunday, would be well on her way.  Then the final six holes happened.  Ochoa simply lost everything she had earned through the week at Reunion.  She finished the last six holes in an unfathomable six over par.  Even with an opportunity to force a playoff with Brittany Lincicome on the last hole, Ochoa could not redeem herself and she gave away the victory and a huge payday.

It is said that something happening in isolation does not necessarily speak to a future pattern.  But, this situation is becoming common for Ochoa.  She snap hooked her drive into the lake at the last hole of the US Women’s Open at Cherry Hills in 2005.  This week, she gave away the Ginn Open.  She let one hole ruin her run at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.  She almost let a huge lead slip away at Superstition Mountain just one week before Mission Hills.

The reputation that haunted Ochoa before last season was that she simply could not close out golf tournaments.  She seemed to have shunned that after last season and the quality of wins that filled out her resume.  All of a sudden, though, that perception has perhaps become reality again and it is stopping Ochoa from surging to the number one spot.

It is almost unavoidable to draw a comparison between Ochoa and Tiger Woods when he was first achieving the feat of becoming ranked number one.  The merciless Woods saw becoming number one as a minor task, with the greater challenge as staying the best.  He has been facing that challenge for a decade now.  Ochoa, on the other hand, seems to need to plateau at each stage of her quest to become the best in the game.  For her, it seems that a few knocks of the door are required before she finally knocks the door down herself.  Now, with Sorenstam out due to injury, this may be her best change to have an unabated path to the number one ranking.  For her career and the health of the Tour, it is my hope that she figures out the lessons presented from these recent failures and surges to the top ranking in the world of female golf.

If nothing else, it’ll give Annika something to fight for when she returns.

Ryan Ballengee is host of The 19th Hole Golf Show, found at The Golf Newsnet.com.  Having graduated from the University of Maryland in 2004 and 2006, Ballengee brings the perspective of the younger golf fan to the microphone and his columns.  Over the nearly five years he has been broadcasting and writing, Ballengee has developed a reputation for a unique interviewing style that asks both the difficult and fun questions. You can also get The 19th Hole on the go through podcasting by clicking here The Golf Newsnet Contact Ryan via e-mail at the19thholeshow@hotmail.com.