This Time, Ochoa Gets to Enjoy Finish

Lorena Ochoa rebounded from a painful playoff loss at the year’s first major with her first victory of the season, shooting a closing six-under-par 66 Saturday to win the Takefuji Classic at Las Vegas.

Ochoa, who has lost twice in playoffs this year, wrapped up the 54-hole event at Las Vegas Country Club at 19-under 197, three shots in front of Seon Hwa Lee and five ahead of Brittany Lincicome.

The wire-to-wire victory was in dramatic contrast to Ochoa’s finish in the Kraft Nabisco Championship two weeks ago, when she led all the way until losing to Karrie Webb in a playoff.

Ochoa smiled Saturday as she walked to the 18th tee with a three-shot lead. After she hit her second shot on the 495-yard par-five over the water, she broke into a big grin. She chipped within five feet, then rolled in the putt to punctuate the victory with her sixth birdie of the day.

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Jim Furyk’s bogey on the 18th hole dropped him into a tie for the lead with Aaron Baddeley after three rounds of the Verizon Heritage.

Furyk had a three-under 68 and Baddeley a 66 to finish tied at 14-under 199, three strokes ahead of Billy Mayfair (68) at Harbour Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Furyk started the round ahead by two over the 25-year-old Australian, lost that lead on the front nine yet rallied to move a stroke in front with birdies on Nos. 15-17.

But Furyk put his approach on 18 in a bunker behind the lighthouse hole’s green and couldn’t save par.

Furyk is trying for his first victory since last year’s Western Open. Baddeley has not won a tour event.

Mayfair, who lost this tournament to Jose Coceres in a 2001 playoff, had birdies on two of his final four holes.

Ernie Els had the best score of the day, a 65, moving him to 10 under, tied with Jerry Kelly.