Weeks before the tournament you could see the excellent quality that the event was going to have. For us to be selected as media, we had to go through an accreditation process of the LPGA weeks before. We were constantly receiving information from the Ochoa Group –people in charge of everything related to Lorena Ochoa and the tournament-.

On Friday, after an involuntary city tour -do not trust so much on Google Maps-, we arrived to the parking that was a few blocks away from the country club, there were shuttles every 15 minutes taking you there. Already in the club, we took a walk around it. It a really complete country club, you can find tennis courts, horse race track, gym, pool and everything that a first class club must have. In one of the lounges of the club they have pictures of some of the members' achievements, and one that impresses me was a picture of a guy on top of a snowed mountain. In the picture, the alpinist wrote a thank you note to the club for their help and support to get to the tip of the Everest.

After we got our media credentials, we went to the Media Center, a space reserved for media with big TV screens, computers, drinks and food –very important if you plan to wander around the club 12 hours a day- and a big scoring board that was constantly updated.

To be honest this is the first tournament with famous players that I have been to, this is why I could help staying with my mouth open when with no previous notice Lorena Ochoa and Michelle Wie passed next to me and gave me a “good morning”.

Just outside the building was the putting practice. In those 60 feet there were the best female gofers of the world, several of which had been in South Korea plating another tournament just a few days ago. You could also see Golf Channel’s mini outdoor TV studio with a couple of chairs and cameras to tape with the practice on the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After putt practice, the players went to the practice tee, not without kindly signing autographs to the kids waiting for them. It was impossible to sign them all though, they would have never finished their practice.

It is really amazing the ease with which they hit the ball and how far it reaches, they make it seem too easy. But the sad truth arrives when you get to you home course and after trying to repeat what you saw you realize that the ball does not get half of the way of theirs and with the double o the effort.

The groups were starting around 10am. And from a distance you could notice when was the turn of Lorena Ochoa, because the last thing you could see was her, due to all heads you had in the way. You could tell she was playing at home.

Saturday and Sunday were the most crowded days. People from all over the country were watching the tournament, and of course children could not be missing, children everywhere that the second they saw a player they yelled at them asking for a glove, a ball or any other souvenir, and children that impressed the players with their spirit, in fact in a press conference, the American Paula Creamer told us that she was impressed with the amount of kids on the course.

Sunday was the most thrilling day. The rookie of the year and Lorena Ochoa’s rival Jiyai Shin started the day on the top, but as the holes were passing, Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie surpassed her. In the second half of the round Michelle Wie was heading the list with Creamer a few strokes behind. One of the most nerve-racking moments was when Wie –in the last hole of the last day- hit a three, “I felt really stupid and I was angry” said Michelle later on. Nevertheless, Michelle Wie won with 275 strokes, two under the Pink Panter Paula Creamer.

During the tournament, Michelle Wie had some difficulty with an ankle injury –same injury that a week later forced her to retire from a tournament in Houston-, but that did not stop her from taking the trophy, same trophy that a couple of hours ago was in exhibition in the official store of the tournament.

The tournament was a memorable event, and it is thanks to Lorena Ochoa that we can have this level of athletes in our country. In general is has been said that Lorena Ochoa has had a bad 2009 but is spite of that she was awarded as the player of the year for the fourth consecutive time, let’s hope for an even better 2010.