Capelle On Golf

Tiger Woods’ bid for the Grand Slam was really just a smokescreen. Now that his bid has failed, the curtain has been raised, and Lorena Ochoa has emerged as the one with a legitimate chance at the Grand Slam in 2008.

Lorena Ochoa became a dominate player in 2006, so that seems like a good place to begin a review of her performance in the majors. Ochoa started the 2006 major’s season with a heartbreaking playoff loss at the Kraft Nabisco. The playoff would never have happened if not for Karrie Webb’s 116 yard wedge shot which found the cup on the 72nd hole. Ochoa finished three back at the LPGA after a mediocre closing round of 72 on a good day for scoring. She was a distant 12 back at the U.S. Open. In the season’s final major, she trailed the winner by four shots at the (corporate sponsor’s name) British Open. (Note: I deliberately omit the names of corporate sponsors whenever possible.)

A Strong 2007 in the Majors
In 2007 Ochoa finished four back of Morgan Pressel at the Kraft Nabisco. At the LPGA she lost by six to Suzann Pettersen. She was in excellent position to win the U.S. Open, but pulled two tee shots into trouble on the closing holes and had to settle for a 2t, two behind Christie Kerr. Five weeks later she got the majors monkey off her back with a convincing four stroke triumph at the British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews. She had broken the ice, and it appears as if there will be no holding her back now.

Ochoa Opens her Bid for the Grand Slam
Ochoa won the first leg of the calendar Grand Slam at the 2008 Kraft Nabisco with a five shot win over Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen. At the same time she quietly made her way to the half way point of the The Lorena Slam. (Note: I suppose any future four-in-a-rows or more, but not in the same calendar year, should be named after the player who wins them.) It’s not such a farfetched question considering that she’s half way home, and has won five of the six LPGA events she’s entered this year.

The LPGA, which is the second leg, will be played June 5-8 at Bulle Rock G.C. in Maryland for the fourth consecutive year. If course knowledge is a plus for Ochoa, this could work in her favor as she’s been in the top 10 in three starts at Bulle Rock.

The Specter of Bobby Jones
The U.S. Open will be played at Interlachen C.C. in Edina, Minnesota. Yes, for you history buffs, this is the same course where Bobby Jones won the third leg of his Grand Slam in 1930. Though Ochoa will be playing Interlachen for the first time, maybe the specter of Bobby Jones will bring some good vibes to Ochoa’s quest for the Slam should she still be in the running come late June.

Now how’s this for some additional good karma? The final leg will be played at Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, England. Yes again, it’s the same Sunningdale that Jones played the best tee-to-green round of his life in 1926 while qualifying for the British Open. His 66 strokes on this par 72 layout were split equally between putts and shots to the green. Perhaps Ochoa’s superb ball striking (she’s leading the tour in GIR) will be equally well suited to this beautiful parkland course.

So buckle up golf fans. While were waiting for Tiger Woods to get back to full force, Lorena Ochoa promises to keep us entertained as she continues on her way towards what could be the best single season in the history of women’s golf.