Lorena Ochoa took the lead on the front nine and cruised to a three shot victory at the Honda LPGA Thailand.  It is the 25^th win of her career and for the second straight year, Ochoa has won in her first start of the season.  The resilient Hee Young Park finished in second place at -11 while Paula Creamer fell to third place at -10.

Starting the day with a three stroke lead of her own, Creamer stumbled out of the gate.  Bogeys at 2 and 3 coupled with Ochoa's birdie at 2 tied the final twosome at -9.  Brittany Lang, who began the day tied for second, stumbled as well with a double-bogey at 1.  Although Lang birdied 2, a bogey at 3 set her back to -6 and she never got on track.  Lorena took the lead with a birdie at 5 and extended it with another at 6.  After yet another birdie at 8, Ochoa led by three as they made the turn.

Playing two groups ahead, Park was continuing her amazing turnaround from Thursday's last-place hole.  Two early birdies plus an eagle at the par-4 5^th (must have driven the green on that short hole) set up an outgoing 31 that put Hee Young at -9 and tied for second with Creamer.  Unfortunately, the barrage didn't continue - Park parred the first five holes on the back and though she birdied 15 and 16, her resulting 65 wasn't enough to haul down the leader.  Because Lorena birdied 11 and 13 to reach -14 (while Paula bogeyed 13 to fall to -8 and out of the running) and the cushion to put things on cruise control.  A bogey at 16 momentarily trimmed the lead to two but birdie at 17 put it away for good.

If you've been reading my recaps, you already know I can't say enough about Hee Young Park's performance the last three days.  To start the event with a 79 (tied for last place) and to come back and give herself a reasonable shot at victory is just incredible.  I haven't seen such a performance in the three years I've been blogging and the only example I know of that's comparable was Sherri Steinhauer's recovery from an 81 to win the 1998 British Open and I don't think Sherri was tied for last after Round One.  Hee Young is already making me proud that I picked her in my preseason Top 30!  Stacy Prammanasudh vaulted into a tie for fourth with Lang by posting 63, the best round of the week.  Karrie Webb fell off to a 76, which dropped her to -1 T19.

But don't let me forget about the victor.  Lorena Ochoa won this week in an unfamiliar way.  Often we see the hot start, a good enough Friday, a really good Saturday and either just good enough to win or a blitzkrieg on Sunday.  This time - middle of the pack Thursday, into the Top 10 Friday, into the final group (but in second place) after Saturday.  But the result was typical Ochoa.  The winner and still Champion...