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Ochoa leads LPGA Tour Championship

Thu 19th, November 2009

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Lorena Ochoa birdied three of her last four holes on Thursday for a six-under 66 and the first-round lead of the season- ending LPGA Tour Championship.

The first round was suspended due to darkness with 10 players still needing to finish their rounds. The golfers will be back at 8:00 a.m. (et) Friday to complete the round.

There is quite a bit at stake this week, but nothing more important than the Player of the Year race. Ochoa is second, eight points behind Jiyai Shin, and can capture her fourth Player of the Year title with a big tournament this week.

Shin is part of a group tied for ninth at two-under 70, so Ochoa is in great position to secure the honor on her own.

"It's very important to get a good start to give myself a good chance," said Ochoa. "That's all I was trying to do. So tomorrow is a new start, and I'm gonna play like I'm a few shots behind and continue being aggressive and to give myself chances to win on Sunday."

Reilley Rankin is alone in second place at five-under 67, followed by Taylor Leon, who posted a four-under 68 and is third at The Houstonian Golf & Country Club.

Yani Tseng, who is fourth in the Player of the Year Race, Heather Bowie Young, Pat Hurst and Haeji Kang each carded rounds of three-under 69 and are tied for fourth place.

Michelle Wie, who finally earned her first LPGA Tour victory last week, limped through an ankle injury for a first-round, even-par 72 on Thursday. She is part of a large group tied for 29th, which includes Cristie Kerr.

They are all chasing the world's best.

Ochoa began on the 10th tee Thursday and promptly birdied her first hole after she hit a nine-iron to 10 feet. Two holes later, Ochoa just missed the green in two at the par-five hole, but was able to two-putt for another birdie.

The Mexican star parred her next four, but found trouble at the par-three 17th. Ochoa's seven-wood tee ball missed right, then she came up short of the green with her chip. She finally got on and tapped in for a bogey that knocked her back to one-under par.

Ochoa atoned for the error at 17 with a long birdie putt at the closing hole. She made the turn at two-under 34, but her play on the second nine vaulted her to the lead.

At the par-five second, Ochoa reached the green downwind with a seven-iron and two-putted for birdie from 20 feet. The No. 1 player in the game rolled in a 15-footer for birdie at the third, then parred her next two.

Ochoa hit an eight-iron to eight feet en route to a birdie at the sixth. She stumbled a bit with a three-putt bogey from 20 feet at No. 7, but her finish got her first place.

Ochoa hit a spectacular four-iron from 175 yards out to three feet and cashed in the easy birdie putt at eight. She knocked a seven-iron to 12 feet at No. 9 to set up her final birdie that moved her into sole possession of the top spot on the leaderboard.

This is certainly a strong start for Ochoa, but she's just happy to be playing regular tournament golf. Last week in her home city of Guadalajara, Ochoa hosted the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, where she finished in a tie for sixth place.

"I think everything is a little bit easier, if you compare to last week. I'm just very happy I could start the tournament," said Ochoa. "It's not easy this week either. I'm trying to win a tournament. It's just very different. I think you always learn from tough situations. They make a better player."

Allison Fouch, Karin Sjodin, Irene Cho, Leta Lindley, Jimin Kang, Anna Nordqvist, Stacy Lewis, Ji Young Oh, Meg Mallon, Na Yeon Choi, Brittany Lincicome, Juli Inkster, Sophie Gustafson and Hee Young Park joined Shin four shots off the lead.