Corona Morelia Championship

FINAL RESULT: 0-3; -4.50pts

Ochoa 16th
Creamer 16th
Kim 16th

Not exactly according to the script! Ochoa struggled throughout with Koch, a regular selection at the start of the season but not this week, was the runaway winner. Best chance fell to Kim who was in the hunt for a top-5 payout throughout - or at least until the final nine hole when she dropped seven shots in six holes and finished six shots out of the top-5 places.

Outright plays (total stake per play: 1.5pts)

Lorena Ochoa to win 6/1 @ GolfingGods
Second time lucky, I think. Ochoa was extremely unfortunate to have to be paired with Annika Sorenstam for the first two days of the MasterCard Classic, the first LPGA Tour event to be staged in Mexico since 1975. There was enough pressure already from home expectancy and it showed in her scores: 71 and 75. But she shot 68 in the final round to finish 5th and the conditions this week will be more like that final round. Anticipation will be lower as it is the second event to be staged in Mexico this year and there is no Annika. Add in an incredible 63-65 in the last two rounds to finish 2nd and almost fully recover from her opening 74 last week and she also has momentum, plus a weak field in her favour.

Paula Creamer to win 18/1 e.w. @ BetInternet
Didn't expect to be backing Creamer this week, but 18/1 is simply too big against this field and particularly since she was very impressive last week, improving each round and finishing 3rd, her first top-5 on Tour. After some notable top-20 finishes last year, she has continued in the same vein in her rookie and is noticeably improving with experience. That makes her the second-favourite this week and at this price, she is worth an interest.

Young Kim to finish in the top-five 12.5/1 @ Centrebet and SuperOdds
Plenty of players left who get themselves into contention a lot without really threatening to win, but one, Young Kim, is available at good odds for a top-5 finish and that looks a decent proposition with Ochoa expected to dominate this event. She achieved only one top-5 finish last year, but there has been a marked improvement in consistency in the last six months. She finished the 2004 LPGA Tour season with successive 7th place finishes and after an opening missed cut in Hawaii, she has started 2005 with finishes of 20th, 19th and 10th. Against this field and on a new course, they can be translated into much higher finishes and that makes these odds look rather generous when one player so dominated the outright market.