Teske gains back to back wins

Rachel Teske held off hard-charging rookie Lorena Ochoa with a 4-under 68 Sunday to capture the Wegmans Rochester LPGA, her second consecutive tournament win for the second time in her career.

"I couldn't have asked for a better day," said the 31-year-old Australian, who beat Annika Sörenstam in a playoff in her previous outing. "To play well last week and then to finish it off strong today, it's really satisfying."

Teske finished at 11-under 277, retaining the four-stroke lead she carried into the final round at the tree-lined Locust Hill course. It was her eighth win in seven years on the LPGA Tour.

Ochoa, a 21-year-old from Guadalajara, Mexico, surged in with a tournament-low 66 to land in sole second place at 7 under.

South Korea's Grace Park shot 69 to finish third at 6 under, one ahead of compatriot Se Ri Park and Brandie Burton, a two-time major champion who is winless since 1998. Tammie Green, the 1993 champion, closed with a 69 to get to 3 under.

It was Ochoa's fifth top-10 finish this year, her previous best was a tie for second at the Michelob Light Open in May. It moved her up to fourth on this year's money list with $494,128, one spot ahead of Teske.

"I did very good and I'm very excited," Ochoa said. "I was trying to go for all the pins, tried to really be aggressive on my putts for birdie and it worked."

Teske sank a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 7, then almost reached the green in two on No. 8, a par-5 where she two-putted for birdie. A wayward drive forced her to chip out of heavy rough on No. 14 and she failed to sink a 20-foot par putt.

She made amends on the next hole by getting down from 6 feet for birdie, then rolled in a 10-foot putt for eagle on No. 17.

Teske was coming off a playoff victory June 15 in the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic in Ohio. She rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt there to beat Lorie Kane, Jennifer Rosales and Sörenstam, who was seeking her third straight win. It was her third playoff win over the Swede.

While still known by her maiden name, Hetherington, she won consecutive tournaments in 1999 at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, again by beating Kane in a playoff, and the City of Hope Myrtle Beach Classic.

First prize in the $1.2 million tournament was worth $180,000, propelling Teske from 10th to fifth in earnings with $471,829. Her career winnings are $3.28 million.

Defending champion Karrie Webb, who fell out of contention with a 76 on Friday, shot a 69 to end in a tie for 15th. First-round leader Tina Barrett slumped to 3 over with a 76.

For the third straight year, Sörenstam skipped the tournament, which is sponsored by the grocery store chain Wegmans.

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