Associated Press
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. ó Lorena Ochoa set the silver trophy on a table, clasped hands with her parents and sprinted to the edge of the lake surrounding the 18th green at Mission Hills, raising both arms as she plunged into the water.
Whether she is playing or celebrating, the Mexican star is unstoppable.
Ochoa buried her competition Sunday at the Kraft Nabisco Championship with back-to-back birdies at the turn to build a five-shot lead, then closed with eight pars for a 5-under 67 and another romp in a major that once gave her fits.
Even more inspiring were the festivities that followed.
She joined hands with her parents and sister-in-law and raced into the water. Her brother, Alejandro, swing coach Rafael Alarcon and caddie Dave Brooker leapt from the bridge. Before long, two dozen friends and family members were bobbing in the water to the rhythm of a mariachi band, a celebration unlike any other at this major.
“I thought for a moment, ‘Maybe I should try to do something funny, like a flip or something,”‘ Ochoa said. “No, no, no. Too dangerous. So I did the regular jump. You always worry about the jump, but once you win, I don’t care.”
– HUMBLE, Texasó Johnson Wagner’s first PGA Tour victory came with the ultimate bonus prize ó a trip to the Masters. The 28-year-old Wagner shot a 1-under 71 to finish at 16 under, two shots ahead of Chad Campbell (72) and Geoff Ogilvy (68).
– PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic ó Mark Wiebe completed a wire-to-wire victory in the inaugural Cap Cana Championship, closing with a 5-under 67 for a four-stroke victory over Vicente Fernandez.
IRL
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ó Teenager Graham Rahal, son of Bobby, survived a spinout and came back to win in his first IRL IndyCar Series start Sunday, holding off veteran Helio Castroneves to become the youngest winner in major open-wheel history.
At 19 years, 93 days, Rahal broke the age record set two years ago in Sonoma, Calif., by another driver from a racing family, Marco Andretti, who was 19 years, 167 days old.
CLEMENS
SAN FRANCISCO ó The federal government’s top steroid investigator has asked to meet with Jose Canseco to speak to the former slugger about Roger Clemens.
Canseco’s lawyer, Robert Saunooke, told The Associated Press on Sunday that IRS agent Jeff Novitzky called him last week and said he wanted to discuss a photograph that allegedly shows Clemens at a pool party at Canseco’s home in 1998.
TENNIS
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. ó With a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Rafael Nadal, Davydenko became the first Russian to win the Key Biscayne men’s championship.
NFL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ó Cornerback and kick returner Chris Carr officially joined the Tennessee Titans when the Oakland Raiders declined to match Tennessee’s offer sheet.
Carr was a restricted free agent.