Lorena Ochoa Invitational Preview

Even without the promise of a Lydia Ko – Ariya Jutanugarn shootout, even without Inbee Park defending her title, even without live television coverage, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational is one of my favorite perennial LPGA events.

It’s a delightful, playful tournament that celebrates the game in a special, clubby fashion. The field is small and not necessarily the most elite, but it’s such a refreshing competition that it helps me remember why I love to play the game. And it’s the dream child of one of my all-time favorite golfers, Lorena Ochoa.

Ochoa is rightly headed for the World Golf Hall of Fame, along with Meg Mallon, Henry Longhurst, Davis Love III, and Ian Woosnam. From her 2003 rookie year to her retirement from competition in 2010 Ochoa competed in 173 LPGA events, recorded 63 top-three finishes (36%) and 109 top 10 finishes (63%). Her last missed cut was at the 2005 Longs Drugs Challenge (Oct. 9), a streak of 102 events to finish her active career.

Ochoa, the first Mexican-born golfer to enter the World Golf Hall of Fame, was ranked World Number One for 158 consecutive weeks (2007-2010). In a three-year stretch (2006-2008), she won 21 tournaments, including the two majors.  You can watch the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on September 26, 2017 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City the week of the Presidents Cup. Put it on your calendar.

The small field at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational provides a special opportunity for Ochoa to promote and showcase emerging young Mexican golfers. This year there will be five: LPGA players Gabby Lopez and Alejandra Llaneza and three amateurs, Maria Fassi, Isabella Fierro, and Regina Plasencia.

While Brooke Henderson is the highest ranked player in the field, and will certainly be playing hard for the win, she’s going to face some serious competition from Anna Nordqvist and Carlota Cignada. I’m looking for Ciganda, who finished runner-up to Inbee Park last year and who became a Rolex first-time winner last month at the KEB HanaBank Championship, to push especially hard for the win this week.

Other players to watch? Certainly Carolina Masson, Paula Creamer, Su Oh, and Austin Ernst are likely wild card spoilers. Any one of them could get hot and run the table over the next 4 days.

Although there won’t be live coverage of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational I’ll post a mid-tournament update here and Golf Channel will also have updates with video on Golf Central for this final LPGA event before the Tour’s season finale next week, the CME Group Tour Championship.

Cover Photo via Wikipedia