Ochoa Seizes LPGA Championship
Lead After Seven-Under 65
HAVRE DE
GRACE, Maryland ((By
Larry Fine, Reuters) June 6, 2008 —
Lorena Ochoa
seized the lead midway through the
second round of the LPGA Championship by
firing a flawless seven-under-par 65 at
Bulle Rock golf course on Friday.
World number
one Ochoa, seeking a third successive
major championship title, birdied three
holes on the front nine and had four
more after the turn for a 10-under-par
134 total and a one-shot lead over
Australian Lindsey Wright.
Wright, who
finished fourth at Bulle Rock last year,
added a 68 to her opening 67 for 135.
Canadian Lorie
Kane, the first-round co-leader, added
two quick birdies after her late tee
time to reach eight under, one better
than Australian Rachel Hetherington,
American Brittany Lang and South Korean
Oh Ji-young, all in the clubhouse on
137.
Ochoa, who
claimed her first major at last year's
British Open at St Andrews and followed
with victory at the Kraft Nabisco major,
put on a spectacular display of
ball-striking on a course still soggy
from rain earlier this week.
The
26-year-old Mexican missed just one
fairway and gave herself good birdie
putt chances on nearly every hole as
players for a second day were allowed to
lift, clean and place balls in the
fairway.
"It was a
great day, just easy," Ochoa told
reporters. "I had 17 birdie chances. It
was very easy, I enjoyed it a lot. It
was stress-free."
Ochoa sank a
10-footer at the third hole for her
first birdie of the day. She eased in a
two-foot birdie putt at the fourth and a
three-footer at number eight.
She nearly
holed her approach at the 10th, tapping
in for another birdie. A two-putt birdie
at the par-five 15th was followed by a
three-foot birdie at 16.
Ochoa capped
off her day with a 20-foot downhill putt
that trickled into the cup for one last
birdie.
"It was one of
those days I could have shot 10 or 11
under par," Ochoa said. "I think that
was my best round."
