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Friday November 20, 2009

It’s down to the wire as Jiyai, Ochoa chase Player of the Year award

HOUSTON (Texas): Shin Jiyai and Lorena Ochoa will take their duel for LPGA Player of the Year honours down to the wire this week at the LPGA Tour Champion-ship.

South Korea’s Jiyai is trying to become the first player since LPGA legend Nancy Lopez in 1978 to win both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year.

If she can pull it off, she’ll end world number one Ochoa’s three-year reign.

Jiyai, 21, won three times last year before joining the LPGA Tour, including the Women’s British Open. She followed with three more wins and 11 top-10 finishes this year to secure Rookie of the Year honours.

“I started the year off with my goal to win rookie of the year and now I have a chance for player of the year,” Jiyai said. “That makes me happy.”

Ochoa has also won three times this year. But Ochoa, whose wedding to the CEO of her biggest sponsor, AeroMexico, is coming up after the season, hasn’t shown the same dominant form that she displayed the previous two seasons, and trails Jiyai slightly in the Player of the Year race.

Ochoa can secure her fourth Player of the Year award with a win, with anything less she’ll need help from other players.

“It has been a really good year for me in ways, sometimes difficult on the golf course, but I’m very happy,” Ochoa said.

“I have a lot of things to focus on off the golf course. I’m just going to try to enjoy the week and then get ready for the wedding.” — AFP

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