Finally, Wie wins on Tour
By STEPHEN WADE - The Associated Press
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| Michelle Wie blasts from the sand trap on the third green during the final round at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational LPGA golf tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Miguel Tovar (STR)) |
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Michelle Wie raised both arms in the air, then put a hand over her mouth.
No need to say a thing – this celebration was a decade in the making.
Immediately after tapping in Sunday to win her first LPGA Tour title, Wie pulled the ball from the 18th hole, looked up to the sky, let out a big sigh of relief, bounced up and down and pumped her right fist.
After all the near misses, after all the expectations, her long wait was over.
“It’s definitely off by my back,” Wie said. “I think that hopefully life will be a lot better, but I still have a lot of work to do.”
Wie fulfilled her promise with a 3-under-par 69 for a two-stroke win against Paula Creamer in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Wie finished off the victory in style, hitting a greenside bunker shot within a foot on the final hole to set up a birdie.
Solheim Cup teammates Morgan Pressel and Creamer showered Wie on the 18th green after the winning putt.
“Just seeing them come out and pour beer all over me, it was a great feeling,” Wie said. “I’ve always seen it on TV, and I’ve always wanted people to pour beer on me. It was as great as I thought it was.”
Wie earned $220,000 to push her season winnings just over $900,000. The win came in her 65th LPGA Tour event – she had finished second six times.
Wie won the 2003 USGA Women’s Amateur Public Links, her only significant win until Sunday.
Pressel (67), Jiyai Shin (71) and Cristie Kerr (72) were three back. Wie finished at 13-under 275 after starting the day at the Guadalajara Country Club tied for the lead with Kerr at 10 under.
• Results appear in Fine Print, page 10B.
