AFP afpji

Mexico's Ochoa punishes field at Corona Championship

Mon 14 Apr, 12:11 AM


MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Mexico's Lorena Ochoa fired a final round four-under 69 for an 11-stroke victory at the LPGA's 1.3 million dollar Corona Championship on Sunday.

Ochoa, who posted three consecutive seven-under-par 66 efforts to start the tournament, entered the final round with a seven shot cushion before finishing at 25-under 267 at the Tres Marias Residential Golf Club.

She easily claimed the title - her fourth in five tries this year - and the 195,000 dollars in prize money by besting second-place Song-Hee Kim of South Korea by 11 shots.

The 2006 champion here and winner of the Kraft Nabisco Championship last weekend, Ochoa finished her final round with seven birdies and perhaps her only mishap in the entire tournament - a triple-bogey on No. 11.

The triple-bogey ended any chance for Ochoa to tie or break the LPGA 72-hole scoring record of 27-under 261 set by Annika Sorenstam in 2001.

Frenchwoman Karine Icher and Inbee Park finished tied for third.

Defending champion Silvia Cavalleri carded a 69 on Sunday to finish tied for 29th place.