Lorena Ochoa

While Tiger Woods' quest for a Grand Slam was nipped in the bud by South African Trevor Immelman at the Masters, a much more quiet supremacy continued elsewhere in the golf world. Lorena Ochoa, the 26-year-old Mexican superstar, was lapping the field at the Corona Championship in Morelia, Mexico. She won the tournament at 25-under-par - 11 strokes better than the second-place finisher. It also qualified her for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame, although she can't be inducted until she has been on the tour for 10 years - which for her would happen in 2012.

Anthony Kim knows he'll need surgery eventually to reattach a ligament in his left thumb. But, hey, why rush? Especially with the way he has played of late. In his last two outings, the Dallas pro captured the Houston Open and used a final-round 65 to place third at the Masters. Toss in a runner-up week at the Honda Classic, and Kim owns three top-3 finishes in four events since the PGA Tour left the West Coast. "I need to take care of it when the time is right," said Kim, one of the favorites at this week's Quail Hollow Championship.

The torch was passed quietly earlier this year, not surprising given the reserved personalities of the two players involved. It had been long anticipated, considering how Lorena Ochoa had already replaced Annika Sorenstam on top of the LPGA money list at the end of last season. Yet it still takes a little getting used to that Sorenstam, after a five-year reign as the game's dominant female golfer and maybe the best in LPGA history, is no longer ruling her sport as the No. 1-ranked player in the world.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - - Earlier this week, Cristie Kerr defused the LPGA's commissioner hysterics by encouraging questions about her budding winemaking business. Asked how she's unwinding after each grueling round at Saucon Valley Country Club, Kerr didn't miss a beat. "Wine," she said. "Wine and good food." Must be a good vintage. Kerr, 31, takes a 2-shot lead into today's final round of the U.S. Women's Open, seeking her second title in three years. And she has the nerves, the putter, the position and the confidence to ensure she's popping another cork tonight.

Several players could be in the running for the LPGA's No. 1 ranking by the end of the season, or within the next couple years. Along with current No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and former No. 1 Annika Sorenstam, there are a handful of LPGA players who could make a case for themselves should they win a major or two this season. Name Age Country Wins Majors Rank* Skinny Lorena Ochoa 25 Mexico 11 0 No. 1 Needs her first major to be solid No. 1. Annika Sorenstam 36 Sweden 69 10 No. 2 Coming off first significant injury.

Michelle Wie knows it's tough keeping up with the best men in the game. In the French Alps yesterday, she learned that beating golf's top female money winner this season - Mexico's Lorena Ochoa - won't be much easier. Ochoa, Mi Hyun Kim and Shani Waugh shot 6-under-par 66 to lead the Evian Masters, where temperatures reached an unseasonable 91 degrees. Ochoa birdied seven holes but bogeyed the 15th for her 66. "I hit it close today and did not have that many long putts," said Ochoa, the runner-up with Wie a year ago when Paula Creamer won the tournament.

Anthony Kim knows he'll need surgery eventually to reattach a ligament in his left thumb. But, hey, why rush? Especially with the way he has played of late. In his last two outings, the Dallas pro captured the Houston Open and used a final-round 65 to place third at the Masters. Toss in a runner-up week at the Honda Classic, and Kim owns three top-3 finishes in four events since the PGA Tour left the West Coast. "I need to take care of it when the time is right," said Kim, one of the favorites at this week's Quail Hollow Championship.

BETHLEHEM, Pa -. - Lorena Ochoa looks so young she could pass for a teenager. Not an ordinary one, of course, because not many teenagers can afford to walk around wearing an expensive diamond ring, chain and earrings. But Ochoa has earned the finer things. She was a star golfer in Mexico by age 6 and her popularity and talent have been on the rise ever since. Now 27, Ochoa is the No. 1-ranked women's golfer in the world and the greatest female golfer ever from Mexico. "I'm very proud to be Mexican and I'm very proud to represent my country in my sport," she said.

Lorena Ochoa has a lot of motivation going into this year's LPGA Championship, which begins today at Bulle Rock Golf Course in Havre de Grace. You name it, and Ochoa can find a good reason to win. At the top of the list is a Grand Slam: winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April, the LPGA Championship, the U.S. Women's Open later this month and the British Open starting July 31. Ochoa has won two straight majors starting with last year's British Open...

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - - Earlier this week, Cristie Kerr defused the LPGA's commissioner hysterics by encouraging questions about her budding winemaking business. Asked how she's unwinding after each grueling round at Saucon Valley Country Club, Kerr didn't miss a beat. "Wine," she said. "Wine and good food." Must be a good vintage. Kerr, 31, takes a 2-shot lead into today's final round of the U.S. Women's Open, seeking her second title in three years. And she has the nerves, the putter, the position and the confidence to ensure she's popping another cork tonight.

BETHLEHEM, Pa -. - Lorena Ochoa looks so young she could pass for a teenager. Not an ordinary one, of course, because not many teenagers can afford to walk around wearing an expensive diamond ring, chain and earrings. But Ochoa has earned the finer things. She was a star golfer in Mexico by age 6 and her popularity and talent have been on the rise ever since. Now 27, Ochoa is the No. 1-ranked women's golfer in the world and the greatest female golfer ever from Mexico. "I'm very proud to be Mexican and I'm very proud to represent my country in my sport," she said.

UM women top Duke for ACC title, 12-11 lacrosse Caitlyn McFadden scored four goals in the second half to lift the second-ranked Maryland women's lacrosse team to its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship in six years, beating No. 7 Duke, 12-11, Sunday in Blacksburg, Va. The Terps (18-0) have won six conference championships. They took a 4-0 lead before the Blue Devils (13-5) went on an 8-0 run that spanned both halves. Sarah Bullard (four goals) gave Duke an 8-4 lead with 23:42 left in the game.

In the 1960s, when Eduardo Romero was just a skinny, 7-year-old Argentine boy caddying in the small town of Villa Allende, he did not believe golf would ever provide more than a few pesos he could give to his father when he came home from the factory each day. "I just wanted to be a caddy at [Villa Allende Golf Club]," Romero said. "It was the only golf course in my town, and it was 100 years old. If I carried the bag, I'd win a little money to help my family. We needed money for food."

Lorena Ochoa has a lot of motivation going into this year's LPGA Championship, which begins today at Bulle Rock Golf Course in Havre de Grace. You name it, and Ochoa can find a good reason to win. At the top of the list is a Grand Slam: winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April, the LPGA Championship, the U.S. Women's Open later this month and the British Open starting July 31. Ochoa has won two straight majors starting with last year's British Open...

Nearly two years removed from her last major - and three weeks since announcing her retirement - and still four months before her 38th birthday, Annika Sorenstam addressed the media yesterday, quaint and polite as ever. As she prepared for the final McDonald's LPGA Championship of her brilliant career, Sorenstam explained that walking away from the game was made easier knowing that she's leaving LPGA in good hands. "I think the tour is as good as it's ever been," Sorenstam declared. And though she's probably right, I'm not sure it really matters.

While Tiger Woods' quest for a Grand Slam was nipped in the bud by South African Trevor Immelman at the Masters, a much more quiet supremacy continued elsewhere in the golf world. Lorena Ochoa, the 26-year-old Mexican superstar, was lapping the field at the Corona Championship in Morelia, Mexico. She won the tournament at 25-under-par - 11 strokes better than the second-place finisher. It also qualified her for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame, although she can't be inducted until she has been on the tour for 10 years - which for her would happen in 2012.

Among the more than three dozen players of Korean heritage who teed off Thursday in the McDonald's LPGA Championship in Havre de Grace, few had a lower profile than Na On Min. That could change dramatically today for the youngest member of the LPGA. Min, an 18-year-old rookie, shot a 7-under-par 65 in yesterday's third round to climb over a list of more accomplished players to the top of the leader board at Bulle Rock. At 10-under 206, Min leads second-round leader Suzann Pettersen of Norway by one stroke.

Nearly two years removed from her last major - and three weeks since announcing her retirement - and still four months before her 38th birthday, Annika Sorenstam addressed the media yesterday, quaint and polite as ever. As she prepared for the final McDonald's LPGA Championship of her brilliant career, Sorenstam explained that walking away from the game was made easier knowing that she's leaving LPGA in good hands. "I think the tour is as good as it's ever been," Sorenstam declared. And though she's probably right, I'm not sure it really matters.

Among the more than three dozen players of Korean heritage who teed off Thursday in the McDonald's LPGA Championship in Havre de Grace, few had a lower profile than Na On Min. That could change dramatically today for the youngest member of the LPGA. Min, an 18-year-old rookie, shot a 7-under-par 65 in yesterday's third round to climb over a list of more accomplished players to the top of the leader board at Bulle Rock. At 10-under 206, Min leads second-round leader Suzann Pettersen of Norway by one stroke.

Several players could be in the running for the LPGA's No. 1 ranking by the end of the season, or within the next couple years. Along with current No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and former No. 1 Annika Sorenstam, there are a handful of LPGA players who could make a case for themselves should they win a major or two this season. Name Age Country Wins Majors Rank* Skinny Lorena Ochoa 25 Mexico 11 0 No. 1 Needs her first major to be solid No. 1. Annika Sorenstam 36 Sweden 69 10 No. 2 Coming off first significant injury.