Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex & JTBC
Club de Golf Mexico
Mexico City, Mexico
Pre-tournament Notes
Lorena Ochoa may have retired from the LPGA Tour in 2010 after a decorated career, but she certainly didn’t retire from her duties as the host of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex and JTBC. This is the eighth edition of the event bearing Ochoa’s name and despite being seven months pregnant with her third child, Ochoa’s taking her hosting duties as seriously as ever. She hosted a junior clinic Tuesday with a number of local young girls and boys and is thrilled to have the Tour she made a name on back to her home country.
“It’s a very special week in many ways, the most important is having the opportunity to share with all the Mexicans what the LPGA is, how great the players are,” Ochoa said. “Also having the Mexican players is something really big because we always think that this tournament helps a lot of little boys and girls to motivate themselves to become professionals in the future. So it is a big week for many reasons.”
For Ochoa, the week’s not only a week to inspire the youth and showcase a beautiful game to her home country, it’s also a week to reminisce and see old friends.
“Of course I miss my friends, some of the trips but at the same time, I’m really happy at home and also very busy with the two kids and now the third one is coming in January so I couldn’t ask for more,” she said. “I think this is a time to enjoy with the family, and I also play with my family and my friends for fun.”
Although Ochoa won’t tee it up here this week or anytime in the foreseeable future, Ochoa didn’t rule out that one day you may see her tee it up again at an LPGA event - just not on a full-time basis.
“Maybe I’ll go back to play maybe a [ANA Inspiration] or a British open or a tournament that I enjoy, go there with my family just to have a good time but I will never play a full season,” Ochoa said. “I want first to have this kid, and then get back in shape and I see that as a long term goal maybe just to get back with a few friends to enjoy a weekend back on Tour but not a full season.”
Despite six years away from the game, it doesn’t take long to see that the reverence among the Mexican people hasn’t dissipated a bit. Nor among her fellow Touring pros.
“It’s just incredible knowing what she’s done not for the country just in golf but also with all her charitable work, and how she’s making strides to change this country and to really help others,” Christina Kim said. “It’s just so inspiring and to know that she still wants to give back to this Tour even after having stepped away and knowing how busy she is, she needs more than 24 hours in a day to be honest. It’s just inspiring. It’s just incredible.”
CHRISTINA KIM BACK TO THE SITE OF HER BEST CAREER WIN
Christina Kim’s goal entering the 2014 season last year was simply to make the field at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex and JTBC. She figured if she made the 36-player field, she’d had a great season. Not only did she make the tournament field, she ended up winning the tournament in the second playoff hole after posting a four-day 15-under-par total.
“There’re a lot of memories coming back from last year seeing the clubhouse and looking down on the golf course while we are here on dining, and remembering how calm I was which was kind of unusual for me,” Kim said. “There’s a lot of excitement and my short game was really on point last year at this tournament so a lot happy memories, a lot of happy feelings.”
Kim said it’ll take a sharp short game again to have a chance at repeating and unfortunately that momentum from a win at the end of the season - the greatest win of the three of her career, she says - hasn’t carried over to 2015. She said 2015 would get an F grade if she had to grade it. She ranks 69th on the money list in 2015 after finishing 27th on the money list a year ago.
“It’s been a tough year,” Kim said. “I haven’t been nearly as calm, I wouldn’t use the word focus, or as calmed and relax as I like to be because I’ve been really anxious with everything and kind of a lot more demanding on myself. I just haven’t been as free flowing as I have been in the past.”
LYDIA WILL REMAIN AT NO. 1
Regardless of whether or not Inbee Park wins this week at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex and JTBC, Lydia Ko will remain the world’s No. 1 ranked player when the LPGA Tour heads to its final stop of the year - the CME Group Tour Championship - next week in Naples, Fla. Ko regained the No. 1 ranking after her win at the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship and will hold onto the title for at least another week.
NOVEMBER NINE FOR THE MILLION
With only one event on the schedule remaining, players only have one week to climb into the top nine in the Race to the CME Globe standings. Only those nine will be eligible for the $1 million Race to the CME Globe prize and eight spots of nine are already locked in. However, Minjee Lee, Cristie Kerr, Na Yeon Choi, Brittany Lincicome and Suzann Pettersen could all jump into Shanshan Feng’s spot in ninth with a win this week. Kerr and Lee also have a shot at Feng’s spot with a runner-up finish.
The other spot to watch is the battle for third in the Race to the CME Globe standings. Those three when the points reset will control their own destiny as far as the $1 million prize goes and Stacy Lewis is not in the field this week to keep Sei Young Kim from jumping into her spot in third. Kim needs a win to jump Lewis.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
1 - Regardless of whether or not Inbee Park wins this week, Lydia Ko will enter the CME Group Tour Championship with the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 spot still in her grasp. Ko also will lead the money list, Race to the CME Globe, Vare Trophy and Rolex Player of the Year standings heading into the final event of the season.
3 - There are three players from Mexico in the field this week.
8 - Eight players - Lydia Ko, Inbee Park, Sei Young Kim, Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson, Amy Yang, So Yeon Ryu and Anna Nordqvist are all locked into the top nine heading into the CME Group Tour Championship next week. Shanshan Feng’s final spot in the top nine could be overtaken this week by one of five players.
15 - Christina Kim won with a 15-under-par total here a year ago, beating Shanshan Feng on the second playoff hole with a par.
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