ST ANDREWS, Scotland--When Lorena Ochoa arrived in St Andrews last Sunday night, she and her brother immediately drove to the 18th green of the Old Course. It was midnight, but the 18th green and fairway were fully illuminated by a full moon. The image was as crystal clear as the one she had in her head at that moment, that come a week later, she would be hoisting a trophy at that very same location.

"I wanted to win this tournament so bad," Ochoa said Sunday after cruising to a four-stroke victory at the RICOH Women's British Open for her first major championship. "Any thoughts I had, they were very positive and very clear to me. I saw myself on the 18th green lifting the trophy, and it's almost something that you already believe."

The 25-year-old Mexican can believe it now. Ochoa led wire to wire and closed with a 74 for a 5-under-par 287 total, good for a four-stroke victory over Korea's Jee Young Lee (71) and Sweden's Maria Hjorth (71). Ochoa, whose 67 on Thursday tied for the low round of the week, entered the final round with a six-shot lead and was never threatened. The final four-shot margin was the closest anyone came to Ochoa on a cold, damp day at St Andrews, a sharp contrast to the dry, windy conditions players faced on Saturday.

"Today was tough," said Ochoa, who went out in 34 and went as low as 8 under before posting three bogeys on the back nine. "I like the wind, it's no problem. But when it gets cold, I don't like that. A little rain, the golf club slips. Things just start changing but I was able to have control and I was able to manage myself. It was important to get a few birdies on the front and it made things a lot easier on the back."

The only time Ochoa faced any real danger Sunday came on the par-5 17th Road Hole, which Germany's Martina Eberl took a 10 on earlier in the day. Ochoa's second shot came out low and found a pot bunker short and left of the green. After hitting out sideways, Ochoa got a fortuitous bounce on her fourth shot and pitched the ball on the green to safety. She two-putted for bogey there, a bogey she would later describe as her best ever.

After Ochoa hit her tee shot in the middle of the fairway on the par-4 18th, she knew she had the tournament won.  Ochoa two-putted for a par and was lifted off the ground by her English caddie, David Brooker. Shortly afterward, she was greeted by her father Javier and a lot of champagne.

Ochoa, who now owns four victories this season and 13 for her career, met one goal earlier this year by overtaking Annika Sorenstam for the No. 1 world ranking. Now that she owns a major, there's little doubt that we've entered the Era of Ochoa in women's golf.

"This is my fifth year on tour and my first time ranked No. 1 in the world," said Ochoa. "And there were a lot of people saying that I wasn't good enough or that I couldn't win a major. Or asking when I'm going to win a major. And I understood very well because I hadn't won one. It's a big step forward. I did it and there's no more to say."

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--The Road Hole just claimed its first victim. Germany's Martina Eberl just took a 10 on the par-5 17th hole. "Nice double-par," said frequent Golf for Women contributor Tom Mackin.

The pin placement is brutal today, tucked just over the Road Bunker. It will be interesting to see how Lorena Ochoa plays the hole in about an hour or so with the big lead. The smart play is to hit it on the front-right portion of the green and three-putt for par. ABC television commentator Judy Rankin says you can also play your second shot long and left of the green, and chip your third shot on.

LOW AMATEURS: Amateur Sally Watson of Scotland birdied her first four holes on Sunday and shot level par (73) to finish the tournament at 12-over par. The low amateur was England's Melissa Reid, who fired a 1-under-par 72 and finished 4 over for the tournament. "I played with Cristie Kerr yesterday and with Annika Sorenstam in a practice round, so I have had a great chance to see some of the best players up close," said Reid. "I don't hit it any different to these girls. It's just the mental toughness. Cristie wasn't at her best but she grinded it out and got the best score she could. That's the difference. They hold it together a lot better than me. It's a great learning experience."

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--Count Judy Rankin as one of the hundreds rooting for a Lorena Ochoa victory today in the RICOH Women's British Open.

"Is there anyone who doesn't want Lorena to win?" the ABC commentator and LPGA legend asked while we were grabbing lunch in the media center dining lounge. "I don't think there's another player at the top of their sport like her. Annika is certainly gracious and a great champion, but she doesn't have the magnetism that Lorena has. She's very special."

Ochoa is inching ever closer to her first major championship. She's 2-under par on the day through nine holes on the Old Course at St Andrews, having just birdied from long range on the par-4 9th hole. Ochoa, who had a six-shot lead at the start of the day, hasn't lost a stroke off her lead. Korea's Jee Young Lee (-2 through nine holes) is in second place, six shots back, while Sweden's Linda Wessberg and Maria Hjorth and American Reilley Rankin are all at 1 under par, seven strokes back.

Scotland's Mhairi McKay and Japan's Miki Saiki share the low round of the day at 5-under-par 67.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--LPGA Founding Member and Hall of Famer Louise Suggs joked that it's the most she's ever heard Betsy King talk. King, the U.S. Solheim Cup captain, met with the media for nearly a half hour Sunday morning at the RICOH Women's British Open, and, among other things, spoke of the difficult task that lies ahead of the U.S. team as it prepares for the biennial trans-Atlantic competition next month in Sweden.

Since its inception in 1990, the U.S. leads Europe 6-3, but the Americans have won only once on foreign soil--a 17-11 victory in Wales in 1996. Europe has never won on U.S. turf, making the visitors 1-8 in this matchplay team competition. This year's Solheim Cup will take place Sept. 14-16 at Halmstad Golfklubb in Halmstad, Sweden.

"It's going to be a great challenge," said King. "The European team will be strong and I think everyone knows about the challenge of playing in Europe. Hopefully, our players will be up to it. We're going to have to play our very best to have an opportunity to win."

King will take a group of seven American players to Halmstad for a practice round tomorrow. The group includes U.S. Women's Open champion Cristie Kerr, Stacy Prammanasudh, Brittany Lincicome, three-time British Open champ Sherri Steinhauer, Brittany Lang, Nicole Castrale and Angela Stanford. King invited the top 12 point-getters in the U.S. team standings after the McDonald's LPGA Championship in June. Of the seven playing Halmstad on Monday, only Kerr, Prammanasudh and Lincicome are virtual locks for the team. Stanford is currently ninth in the standings, Steinhauer 10th, Castrale 11th and Lang 12th.

The top 10 point-getters and two captain's picks will make up the U.S. squad, which is looking to defend the title it reclaimed from Europe with its 15-1/2-12-1/2 win at Crooked Stick in 2005. U.S. players have two more LPGA events to earn points, at the CN Canadian Women's Open in two weeks and the Safeway Classic Presented by Pepsi the following week.

"I thought it was better to keep the group smaller," said King of the seven players she'll be taking to Sweden tomorrow. "Just because you don't go to Sweden doesn't mean you don't have a chance to make the team. I don't think it's that way at all."

King, who played in the first five Solheim Cups, posting a mark of 7-6-2, has either had dinner or met individually with most of the players in contention for the 12 spots. King said she expects to have a difficult time making her two captain's choices.

"I think it depends who the final 10 are," King said. "If we have a lot of experience, I might go with someone who has not played before. But if I feel like we need more experience, having played on past Solheims will probably be a factor. Best-case scenario, you'd like it to be a very clean process. But I don't think it's going to work that way."

King told a story about how she was left off the 2000 squad at Loch Lomond in Scotland, despite two  wins on the LPGA Tour that year.

"Maybe I didn't play quite as well toward the end of the year, so I'm not sure that was the reasoning in the selection," said King. "As it turned out, the U.S. didn't play well and the weather was bad, and I was kind of glad I wasn't there."

King is excited about the young, exuberant makeup of the U.S. squad, which figures to feature Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel. Pressel, this year's Kraft Nabisco champion, will be making her first Solheim appearance while Creamer and Gulbis will be appearing in their second. The two made quite the impression in their debut performances two years ago at Crooked Stick: Creamer led the Americans with 3-1/2 points while Gulbis earned 3 points. The two squads were even heading into singles play on Sunday, but the U.S. took control, winning the first five singles matches to pull away. Creamer spearheaded the effort, birdieing six of her first nine holes to set a Solheim Cup nine-hole scoring record of 30.

"I didn't get to see a lot of the Solheim Cup the last time," said King, whose father passed away a week later from cancer. "But Paula obviously did very well. I picture Morgan being kind of like that. She won the U.S. Amateur, and she's done very well in match play. I hope they are all stars.

"You kind of forget when you get older just how excited you were to be part of a Solheim Cup as a player, and that's what these girls are," she continued. "Paula is asking me, 'Have you gotten all the decorations and the USA stuff [for the team locker room]?' They are just so excited to be there, and that's what makes it fun."

A scene I witnessed Sunday morning captured in a single frame the intersection of history and culture and gender at the first Women's British Open at St Andrews this week. A little before 11 a.m., I was standing on the stone terrace in front of the imposing, grey stone Royal and Ancient Golf Club, watching the twosome of Yuri Fudoh and In-Bee Park tee off. In just two hours, at 12:55 Scotland time, the tournament leader, Mexico's Lorena Ochoa would embark on her final round—and with a six shot lead—an anticipated appointment with history.

I looked behind me into the big window of the clubhouse. There, sitting in the usually all-male Members Room watching the action, was one of the LPGA Tour's founders, Louise Suggs, now in her 80s, sitting with Commissioner Carolyn Bivens and several female Tour officials. Bivens left the building a few minutes later and stopped to chat. "As we were sitting there, I said to Louise, 'Did you ever think you'd be watching the final of the Women's British Open on the Old Course from an armchair in the all-male R&A clubhouse?' Louise answered, 'Not only did I never think I'd be here seeing this, I never imagined there would be a woman player changing her baby's diaper in the locker room as there was this week."

The experience of being in St. Andrews this week to watch women professionals compete for the first time on the Old Course, the "home of golf," has been a fascinating one, full of awe and wonder and contradictions. Here are a few scenes and anecdotes that will hopefully give you a sense of the the different perspectives of the players, the women golfers of St. Andrews, and the members of the R&A.

Tuesday and Wednesday: It's a sunny, blustery day and the players are out on the course for their  practice rounds. Even as they test the shots they will need in the coming days—blind drives over huge gorse bushes,  hundred yard putts, pinpoint irons—they are giddy tourists who are stopping to snap photos of each other on the famous Swilcan Bridge. "It's amazing," gushes Cristie Kerr who I run into after her round. "To be here is such an incredible experience. Playing this course, having the R&A give women the run of the clubhouse for the first time during this tournament. They've even put plates with our names on the lockers. It feels incredible."

Friday: I ring the bell next to the red door of the St Rule Club which sits catty corner from the R&A clubhouse, just across the vast 18th green. The St Rule is one of two all-women's social and golf clubs in St Andrews, and I've made an appointment to meet some of the members to get their view on the Women's British Open and its place in history. I sit down with Marigold Spier, the club's unofficial historian, Seonain McAainsh, and Dr. Eve Soulsby. While McAinsh and Soulsby are recreational golfers, Marigold Spier was one of Scotland's top amateurs, and behind us, there are exhibits of the history of women's golf in Scotland that show her competing in various famous Scottish and European competitions. There are also photos of Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew winning the famous St. Rule Trophy, a top amateur competition.

St Rule was founded in 1896, first as a social club for women who came into town to shop and who needed a place to gather and, literally, to wait for their husbands who were playing golf across the way. "Some of the members got bored and started a golfing section of the club about six months later," says Spier. "Today, golfers make up the majority of the membership. We have about 500 golfers and 300 non golfers."

They explain that St Rule has the same rights as the R&A to the Old Course and the other courses of St Andrews, which are all open to the residents of the town. I ask them what they think of the Women's British Open being played on the course, and about the fact that the R&A does not accept women members.  "Having the professinal women here is a significant event, but it's not really a breakthrough," says Spiers. "Women have played on the Old Course for more than a hundred years. There have been lots of amateur competitions here.

She adds, "They're always trying to stir [the issue] up, and we don't want it stirred up. We're very happy. We don't want to be members of the R&A. We have lots of interaction with them. We help them and they help us and it's very satisfactory to everybody."

Friday: I've arranged to borrow two "official" badges that will allow myself and writer Lauren St John (author of GFW's current story, "Pilgrimage to St Andrews") into the R&A clubhouse. Lauren, who used to cover men's golf for The Times of London, watched a female colleague, Liz Kahn, being bodily evicted from the R&A in 1990 when she dared cross the threshold of the locker room to ask for a player interview. We pass the barriers and guards and cross the threshold. I feel as if we're entering the Vatican of golf, and in many ways, we are. 

The R&A celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2004, and is the governing body for the sport for the entire world, excepting North America and Mexico. We cross the threshold and politely ask if we can have a tour. Discussion ensues, and a woman tells us that her husband, an R&A member, will put on his tie (required) and escort us round the rooms. The member, John Gibson, is lovely and knowledgeable, but I have to say the tour is oddly unsettling. It's as if we are suddenly back in the glorious days when the sun never set on the British Empire. We enter the Trophy Room and Mr. Gibson points out various Trophies in the display cases. There is The Silver Beaver, a large silver cup that is given for an annual competition between the R&A and Canada. There is The Kangaroo's Paw, a rather incredible "trophy" for the regular tournament between the R&A and Australia that is made of a preserved portion of a kangaroo leg and hoof (yes, still with hair), attached to a long silver rod. The "piece de resistance" is called The Captain's Balls. This is a large silver golf club (actually there are two) with many silver golf balls hanging off the shaft from small hooks. "Each new Captain is presented with a silver ball," explains Mr. Gibson. "All the captains of the R&A are represented here. And see this one gold one? That was given to Prince Andrew, a former R&A captain."

In the same room are several card tables with glass display tops that hold R&A memorabilia. Lauren and I particularly note a postcard that was created when the first British Woman summited Everest. Along with a slightly comedic drawing of a woman mountaineer, there are the words: "British Woman Summits Everest. Next thing you know they'll be joining the R&A."

We wander through the building, looking at memorabilia that literally represent the history of golf. There are clubs made and played by Old Tom Morris, who was custodian of the links from 1865 to 1903. There is a portrait of of Francis Ouimet above the staircase, painted by Dwight Eisenhower. There are photographs and mementos and trophies spanning hundreds of years. The tour is mesmerizing, but as we exit the building, Lauren says, "Do you realize that of all the things we just saw, there was not one mention or reference or representation of women. Where are Mary Queen of Scots and Glenna Collett and Joyce Wethered and Mickey Walker and Annika Sorenstam?"

When the Women's British Open champion is crowned this afternoon on the steps of the R&A, it will be a historic occasion. The first woman to win a professional tournament at the "home of golf" may very well be a woman from a non-European country. Whoever she is, her trophy and photograph will hopefully join those of golf's other champions on the shelves of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--One job I wouldn't want to have, even if it meant living in St Andrews, is that of a weather forecaster. All week I've been writing about projections for isolated showers, scattered showers and periods of rain. But until today, it hasn't rained at all in St Andrews (mind a few drops as I ran on the West Sands Tuesday morning). Six days of zero rain. Well, this morning, some two hours before Lorena Ochoa tees off with a six-shot lead in the final round of the RICOH Women's British Open, we finally have rain.

Today's forecast calls for...um...cloudy skies with periods of rain all afternoon. The good news is there's only a trace of wind, which was the story yesterday when 26 players shot in the 80s and most of the contenders were blown off the leaderboard. Both Wendy Ward and Catriona Matthew, one shot back heading into the third round, shot 80s. Annika Sorenstam fired a 77.

As one reporter here said this morning: "Rain. No wind. Sounds like perfect conditions for a six-shot lead."

Still, Ochoa figures to be nervous. She admitted to as much yesterday after posting her second straight round of even par 73. Ochoa would be more than happy with a similar score this afternoon. That would almost certainly bring a first major championship to the 25-year-old, No. 1-ranked Mexican.

"We're all human and playing at St Andrews, trying to win a [first] major, it puts pressure [on me]," said Ochoa. "But I think in a good way. I think I'm prepared. I don't want to talk too much about it, I just want to go out tomorrow and play my round like any other day. Enjoy every step. I'm ready to do it."

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--On a day when the winds blew most of the contenders off the leaderboard at the RICOH Women's British Open, Lorena Ochoa stood firm. Ochoa fired her second consecutive even-par 73 on Saturday, moving ever closer to her first major title. Ochoa holds a six-shot advantage over Sweden's Linda Wessberg (72) heading into Sunday's final round at the Old Course at St Andrews, which is hosting a women's professional event for the first time.

What is of more significance to Ochoa is that it is a major. The world's No. 1-ranked player looks poised to shed the label of "Best Player Yet to Win a Major," and validate her status atop women's golf. It is the second time Ochoa has held the 54-hole lead in a major--she led by three shots over Michelle Wie heading into the final round of the 2006 Kraft Nabisco championship, but eventually lost in a playoff to Karrie Webb. Ochoa shot an even-par 72 that Sunday while Webb fired a 65, which included a holed eagle approach on her 72nd hole, to force the playoff.

Ochoa feels much more confident this time around holding a six-shot cushion.

"I couldn't ask for a better position," said Ochoa, who turned professional in May 2002 and has 12 LPGA Tour wins to her credit. "To be under par in this tournament and have the lead going into tomorrow, I'm really happy. That's where I wanted to be at the beginning of the week, just give myself a chance to win on Sunday. And I have it. So I'm going to take advantage of that."

When Ochoa woke up early Saturday morning in St Andrews, she could see the trees "blowing really hard." The winds, which gusted a bit on Friday afternoon but have been mostly calm (by Scotland's standards) since the players arrived on Monday, decided to get nasty on Saturday. The winds blew hard from the southwest, bending several of the pins in half and equally pushing the players' patience. Only three players in the remaining field of 69 shot below par, including Wessberg, fellow Swede Maria Hjorth and American Stacy Prammanasudh. Ochoa's playing partner, Wendy Ward, shot a 7-over par 80, one of 26 rounds in the 80s on Saturday. Scotland's Catriona Matthew also shot an 80 to fall eight strokes off the pace while Annika Sorenstam shot a 77 and is seven strokes back.

"When I first started hitting balls on the range, I was thinking something around par would be a great round," said Ochoa. "It was a really tough day but I just managed to control my shots and I was actually close to shooting 1 under. It was one of the best rounds in my golf career."

With three birdies and three bogeys, Ochoa managed to add five shots to a lead that was only one (over Ward and Matthew) heading into the third round.

"That is what you get when it's windy," said Sorenstam. "It is real easy to shoot a high score and if you are playing well, if you can shoot around par you can really move [up]."

Although she won't be able to match the feat of Tiger Woods, who didn't hit a single one of the Old Course's 112 bunkers during his British Open triumph in 2000, Ochoa has done a great job of dodging trouble over the first 54 holes.  She's hit only two bunkers, and seems to be in total command on a golf course she saw for the first time ever on Monday.

Tomorrow's forecast is calling for more windy conditions, but Ochoa seems confident her game will hold up under the fiercest of conditions.

"Really, it's just a mental game. It's really tough," Ochoa said of the windy conditions. "You finish pretty tired because it consumes you. And I guess you feel twice as good when you give yourself a birdie opportunity."

If she feels that good having a birdie opportunity, imagine how good she'll feel tomorrow if she finally captures that elusive major championship.

"I have a six-shot lead so tomorrow I'm just going to come and I'm not going to pay attention to the other players," said Ochoa. I'm going to play my own game, try to play aggressive and make some birdies. I think once you try and start doing something different, you get in trouble. I just want to play my own game and hopefully I can win by maybe even more shots."

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--One of the most unique features of the Old Course is not only the massive size of the greens, but the company they keep. There are seven double-greens in all--one of which is more than an acre in size--leaving only four holes (Nos. 1, 9, 17 and 18) with their own greens.

The unique sharing of the greens produces some excellent viewing for spectators, none better than the hill overlooking the 11th tee box. From this vantage point, you can see groups putting on holes 10 and 8 to the right of the 11th tee, as well as holes 11 and 7. You can see the approaches to 7 and 10 as well as the tee shots on 8, 11 and 12. And if you have a pair of binoculars, you can also see groups putting out on No. 9.

Sound confusing? It is. I spent more than an hour at this location during Saturday's third round, watching the leaders come through, and it probably took me about a half hour before I figured out which green belonged to which hole, and which group was on which hole. The quirkiest thing about this patch of holes is that the players hitting into the 7th green must play their approach shots over the pin on No. 11. The balls can literally cross paths in the air, which begs the question, is there an air-traffic controller nearby?

The strangest sequence on Saturday on these holes occurred when current leader Lorena Ochoa was putting for par on the par-4 7th. As she lined up her putt, a ball on the 11th green stood no more than 15 paces behind the hole, right on her line. Ochoa missed the attempt, one of three bogeys on her card.

She made a terrific up and down on the par-3 11th hole, pitching the ball over the treacherous Strath bunker and running it down the slope to the front pin location. The 160-yard hole, which played into a strong left-to-right crosswind that was mostly into the face of the players, yielded only two birdies to the field on Saturday (Grace Park, Karen Stupples). It did, however, produce 31 bogeys, one double bogey and two triples.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--The wind isn't the only thing blowing away the field Saturday in the third round of the RICOH Women's British Open, so is Mexico's Lorena Ochoa. The world's No. 1-ranked player, seeking her first major title, stands at 7-under par through 13 holes on the Old Course, six shots clear of her closest challenger, playing partner Wendy Ward (-1).

Ochoa is 1 under on the day, which would match the low score of the third round if she can play even par over her final five holes. Three players, including Sweden's Maria Hjorth and Linda Wessberg and American Stacy Prammanasudh, shot 72s. Wessberg is currently the clubhouse leader after 54 holes at even par.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew, one shot back at the start of the day, is 7-over par through 14 holes and plus-2 overall while playing partner Annika Sorenstam is 4-over and plus-1.

Ochoa has been in complete command from the start of the third round, despite teeing off in the windiest conditions the field has faced all week. She birdied the third and fifth holes to go to 8 under before giving one shot back on the difficult par-4 7th. She moved back to 8 under with a birdie on the par-4 12th before bogeying the 13th.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--The first few scores have trickled in from the third round of the RICOH Women's British Open, and if the numbers are any indication, it figures to be a very difficult scoring day for the leaders, which include Lorena Ochoa (-6), Catriona Matthew (-5), Wendy Ward (-5) and Annika Sorenstam (-3).

No rain is in the forecast today for St Andrews, but the winds are howling. While the forecast calls for winds gusting up to 20 mph, the teflon roof here in the media center is blowing like mad for the first time this week. Further indications that the wind is much stronger are the early scores--of the first six groups to come in today, the low score is a 1-under-par 72, shot by American Stacy Prammanasudh.

Prammanasudh's round looks magnificent when you consider the rest of the scores being posted. There has been an 86, 85, 84, 83, 81 and two 80s. McDonald's LPGA champion Suzann Pettersen shot a 78.

Ochoa and Ward tee off in shortly over an hour, at 1 p.m. local time, 8 a.m. EST. Sorenstam and Matthew, both winners of the St. Rule Trophy here on the Old Course as amateurs, tee off at 12:50.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--Two years ago on the Old Course, Scotland's Colin Montgomerie unsuccessfully tried to chase down the world's No.-1 ranked player, Tiger Woods, in the men's British Open championship, finishing runner-up to Woods by five strokes. This weekend, another Scot will try to slay No. 1, this time in the RICOH Women's British Open...which also happens to be taking place at the venerable Old Course at St Andrews.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew matched Juli Inkster for the low round of the day Friday, shooting a 5-under-par 68 in more difficult afternoon conditions for a two-round total of 141 (-5), only one shot back of leader Lorena Ochoa.

"Hopefully, it will inspire me," said Matthew about contending on the weekend in front of her home fans. "Those last few holes, there were still some big crowds out there cheering me on. It's nice to get some support. Playing in the States all the time, I don't get the same sort of support."

The difference between Matthew's opening-round 73 and yesterday's 68 was a fast start. Matthew holed a 6-footer for birdie on the par-4 second and added birdies on holes 7 and 8 to go out in 33. Matthew then birdied the difficult par-3 11th, hitting a 6-iron to eight feet, before two-putting for birdie on the par-5 17th after hitting the green in two with her rescue club.

Matthew has more playing experience at St Andrews than any other player in the field this week, having won the St Rule Trophy (played on the Old and New courses) twice as an amateur. (Annika Sorenstam won it once.) She's hoping that experience serves her well this weekend as she sets her sights on Ochoa.

"It's amazing how quickly you remember the course even though it was a long time ago," said Matthew, who owns two international victories but is seeking her first LPGA win. "My lag putting has been good from 40 feet, which obviously you need to do well here."

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--It was the kind of shot that separates Lorena Ochoa from the rest of the field in the RICOH Women's British Open, and makes you wonder how this talented 25-year-old Mexican has yet to win a major championship. Standing 240 yards away from the pin and facing a blind approach shot on the par-5 14th hole at the famed Old Course, Ochoa sent a 3-wood majestically soaring toward the green. You could tell she hit it flush, as she started to chase the shot down the fairway to get a closer look; shades of Sergio Garcia at the 1999 PGA Championship.

The ball hit just short of the green, nearly rolled in the cup and nestled 15 feet behind the hole, leaving Ochoa with an excellent opportunity for eagle. Unfortunately for Ochoa, she slid her eagle putt by the hole and had to settle for a birdie, one of only two in a round of even-par 73 she described as pleasing, albeit frustrating as it easily could have been a 71 or 70. Ochoa three-putted the 18th green to fall to 6-over par overall after two rounds, one shot clear of American Wendy Ward and Scotland's own Catriona Matthew.

"I'm sorry I didn't make that putt for eagle; it would have been really great," said Ochoa. "But I'm happy with the birdie.

"You know, you hit so many good shots on this course that don't finish where you want them to, and then you hit other ones where you get a couple of good breaks. But that one was perfect, just the line that I wanted. I was hoping to get a good bounce, and I did."

The missed eagle putt and three-putt on 18 aside, Ochoa was "very pleased" with her round and happy to be alone on top after 36 holes. The winds, which were virtually non-existent during her early morning, opening-round 67 on Thursday, were trickier on Friday, changing direction all afternoon.

"The golf course completely changed," said Ochoa. "Different tee shots and different places to aim. I'm very pleased the way my caddie and I worked. I think we are in good shape and I think we understand the golf course pretty good. Hopefully, we can keep doing the same thing for a couple of more days." 

If she does, that first major championship might be hers come Sunday.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--Michelle Wie can start thinking about taking classes and shopping for school clothes. The teen-ager from Hawaii, who was 3 under after 10 holes on Thursday, fired a 7-over-par 80 on Friday at the RICOH Women's British Open and will be returning home early for the second consecutive major.

At least she completed two rounds this time. Wie withdrew after 27 holes at the U.S. Women's Open in July after re-aggravating the wrist she broke while jogging in January. Wie was 17-over-par at the time of her withdrawal.

The Stanford-bound Wie was done in on Friday by a double bogey and two bogeys on the back nine of the Old Course, despite a closing birdie--her lone one of the day--on the par-4 18th. She finished the tournament at 7-over par overall.

"Obviously, I'm really disappointed," said Wie. "I hit some great drives today. My driving was fantastic. I just couldn't convert with my irons and putter.

"I left myself in really tough positions and got some really unfortunate breaks in the fairway. I must have been in at least eight divots. But no excuses. I didn't hit my irons well today at all."

It was the fourth time (in 11 rounds) she shot in the 80s this year on the LPGA Tour. That does not include the second round at Pine Needles or the controversial first round at the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika, where Wie flirted with the LPGA's 88 Rule and withdrew.

Despite another big number on Friday, Wie will take some positives away from her first trip to St Andrews.

"The whole year I've been struggling with my driver and I just never got in the fairway," she said. "Today, I felt like my driver was really solid. Every time I stood up to the ball I felt really confident so that is definitely a positive. Obviously, my irons weren't good so I just have to keep it together. It's like a puzzle. I'm just getting one bit at a time."

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--While walking the course on Tuesday, Golf Digest Top 50 Teacher Martin Hall explained to me the secret to getting out of a pot bunker, should you ever find yourself in the Road Bunker or another one of these deep-faced devils in your future travels abroad.

"You want to hinge the club up real quickly and throw your hands under the ball," he said, sharing the advice he gave star pupil Morgan Pressel. "Open the clubface as much as you can at address, and put a lot of speed on the club since you need to throw it so high."

The thing with pot bunkers is that, unlike in the U.S., when the ball seems to trickle back to the middle of the bunker, it stays close to the face. Hall has the following advice for recreational golfers: If the ball is inside a clublength (mid-iron) of the wall of the bunker, play it out sideways or backwards. "You can't make the ball go straight up [at 90 degrees] and get it to leave the bunker," says Hall.

Pressel had her second consecutive disappointing day on Friday, shooting a 3-over-par 76. The Kraft Nabisco champ will be heading home after shooting 10-over par overall on the Old Course at St Andrews.

On a brighter note, Hall's wife, Lisa Hall, was at even par through 27 holes. The Englishwoman  had gotten to 2 under, within four shots of the lead, before making a double bogey on the par-3 8th hole Friday. Hall had only played the Old Course once before prior to this week, as a 12-year old with her mom.

Just a thought: Am I the only person in St. Andrews this week who finds it odd that the £75 entry fee for the Women’s British Open is £50 less than the cost of one round of golf over the Old Course?

By the way, if you're wondering why the pace of play has been so slow, here are just a couple of examples. On day one, after the trio of Louise Stahle, Stacy Prammanasudh and Nicole Castrale had hit their tee-shots at the last hole, two of the three felt unable to hit their approaches without first laboriously pacing out the distance from their balls all the way to the pin. I won't say which two were responsible for this nonsense, but neither one was Castrale.

It gets worse though. Today, Se Ri Pak dumped her approach to the opening hole in the Swilcan Burn in front of the green. She then — unbelievably — asked for a ruling. Eight minutes later, the official arrived, took one look and told her to drop her ball on the fairway side of the water under penalty of one shot. If Pak had even a basic knowledge of golf's rules, all of the above could, of course, have been avoided.

There is one more reason for the slowness of the convoy: the sheer number of shots being expended. Michelle Wie, for example, has just taken an age over a triple bogey at the 13th that will surely see her missing the cut. With five holes to play, the struggling teenager is seven over par and on her way home.

Strangely, she has a rotten record in this event, but Scotland's Catriona Matthew ("Beany" to her friends) is at last living up to her linksland pedigree here at St. Andrews. With a fourth birdie of the day, the 37-year old from North Berwick is suddenly two shots off the lead and tied for third place alongside another Brit, Rebecca Hudson and Louise Friberg of Sweden.

Third at Sunningdale as long ago as 2001, Matthew has been a surprising failure whenever this championship has been played by the seaside. Not once has she finished in the top-20 and twice she has missed the cut.

"While it is true that links golf is what I am most familiar with, I have to admit that my record in this event has been more than disappointing," she said a couple of weeks ago. "Just about the only time I have done even reasonably well was at Sunningdale a few years ago. And that is an inland course! I have no idea what the problem is. If I did I would do something about it!"

And that she seems to be doing, even if, against the wind, she has a long way to go before the end of her day.

There goes my bet. In at five under par, 141, Wendy Ward has taken over the clubhouse lead from the trio on three under. Round in 70, Ward played a fine round, five birdies outnumbering the two bogeys she made at the 11th and 18th, both of which she three-putted.

The back nine is getting more difficult though. With the ever-shifting wind now against and from the right heading home, the onus is now on the players to score well going out, before hanging on to what they have over the closing holes. Which is just what Ward, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, did.

"Going out, I was able to hit shots with pretty much my normal ball flight, but coming back I was hitting them maybe forehead high," she claimed. "I had worked on those shots during my practice rounds, so I was ready for what was required."

Things are looking even better for Ward, in fact. Long-time leader Lorena Ochoa’s first bogey of the tournament — courtesy of three putts at the 11th — has her back to six under par and, with the tough back nine to come, she will have her work cut out to stay ahead of Ward’s total.

The cut, incidentally, looks as if it will fall at either three or four over par, maybe five over if the wind-speed increases. Whatever the final total that represents pretty good golf by the leading 65 players (and ties).

Had your correspondent been a betting man, he'd have wagered some of his hard-earned 'Caley Dosh' (local slang for Scottish money) on three under par leading at the end of the day. If I had taken the plunge, however, things would not be looking too good right now. Not only has the overnight leader, Lorena Ochoa, played the first seven holes in one under par — into an ever-strengthening wind — to be seven under the card, US Solheim Cup player Wendy Ward has made it to five under courtesy of a wind-assisted birdie at the long 14th.

Mention must also be made of the three birdies in succession from the third made by Beth Daniel. The veteran American is now two under par alongside Scotland's number one player, Catriona Matthew, who has made birdies at the second and sixth today.

Still, much can happen on the Old Course, especially in the bunkers, so those on three under — Annika Sorenstam, Uri Fudoh and Sherri Steinhauer — can still harbour hopes of a nice long lie in tomorrow morning.

To the great delight of tournament press officer Colin Callander — who has money on here at odds of 50-1 — Sherri Steinhauer confirmed her status as the pre-eminent links player of her generation with a round of 71 today. Added to her opening 72, the three-time British Open champion moved to three under par and is surely poised to make a run at yet another title.

"I'm not sure what it is," she said in response to a question as to why she does so well on windswept links. "I do know that I love the imagination. I love to play a low ball. There's a lot of touch and feel involved. I go a lot on instinct out there."

Whatever the reason or reasons, Steinhauer took advantage of her early draw to play the sort of steady round that will be required all over again tomorrow. Three birdies more than compensated for the lone shot she dropped at the par-4 12th, where she three-putted from the front of the two-tiered green.

The birdie Juli Inkster made on the tenth hole to be six under par for the round and level par for the tournament proved to be the seven-time major champion's last of the day. A string of pars followed, broken only by a bogey at the par-4 15th. Still, the 47-year old Californian made it back to the R&A clubhouse with a round of 68, the second best score of the championship so far and a total of 147 that will surely see her safely through to the weekend.

"It is just a different course out there today," she acknowledged. "I'm kind of hoping we get a little wind out there this afternoon. It means a lot to me to play this weekend, that's for sure. You don't want to come over here and have to go home early.

"The course is actually tougher than I thought it would be. Even though you think you can drive it anywhere you really can't depending on the pin placement. In order to make birdies you have to drive it into the right spots and today I did that."

Hold those earlier thoughts. As so often happens in this part of the world, the wind has switched. Downwind first thing this morning, the front nine is now playing into the prevailing westerly wind, a fact that will not please the later starters one little bit. It isn't that the course is any harder or easier in that wind, but the fact that those with early tee-times will have played almost the whole course downwind.

One who just missed out on the benefits of that change in wind direction was Annika Sorenstam, whose 71 has her on 143, three under par. The world number three — that still sounds strange — did, however, get to play her first seven holes in what was almost a flat calm before the wind kicked up into her face coming home.

I'm very happy with my position and my play," she claimed."It was nice to get out early and beat the wind to an extent. And the greens were nice and smooth, too."

The Swede — who acknowledged the benefit she is getting from using Tiger Woods' yardage book — is probably right to like where she stands. With the wind kicking up nicely and the first round leader. Lorena Ochoa, out later, the likelihood is that three under par will not be too far off the top of the leaderboard by day's end.

Not that Sorenstam was going to be sitting around doing nothing exactly. After a quick lunch and some practice, she was off to the all-female St. Rule club that makes its home on the right side of the 18th fairway to receive honourary membership. "A great honour," she said.
 

Never mind coping with the vagaries of links golf over the world's most famous course, perhaps the biggest adjustment for the non-UK born players in the field here at St. Andrews is in dealing with the assembled press core. In every British media centre there are many agendas. Some journalists are there to cover the golf and the golfers. But there are others for whom the birdies and bogeys are secondary to the more salacious requirements of their respective sports desks.

Take page 15 in "The Sun" this morning. One day after the Times ran a piece on the sexual orientation of various LPGA Tour members, Britain's biggest-selling tabloid, not known for its deep interest in any or all things golfing, has pictures of six lady golfers in various stages of undress. Under the headlines, "All Eyes on Birdie Babes at the Open" and "Six Over Phwoar," Natalie Gulbis. Annika Sorenstam, Anna Rawson, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie and Sophie Sandolo are shown. Two of them are even playing golf, albeit Sorenstam is wearing a bikini as she follows through.

Damn, I'm proud to be British. Not.

Golf at the highest level is rarely a speedy affair, but this is ridiculous. Inevitably slowed down by the fact that the first group out on the opening day took as much as four hours 40 minutes to complete 18 holes, Annika Sorenstam was just one of the later starters who took six hours to get round the Old Course. Some, in fact, were unable to complete their rounds — in a country where darkness at this time of year does not fall until almost 10pm.

This is clearly unacceptable, even on a course that has so many double greens.

My friend and colleague, Ron Sirak, who covers the LPGA Tour for Golf World, reports that, on the LPGA Tour, as many as five minutes pass from the moment the pin is removed from the hole until it is replaced. On the Champions Tour, that figure is three minutes 15 seconds and on the PGA Tour is 15 seconds longer.

In other words, the ladies are playing too slowly, especially on the greens, where they are adding 27 minutes to every round compared with their male counterparts. Get a move on girls.

As is often the case in this part of the world, the weather forecast for the second day of the Women's British open has so far been notable only for its complete lack of accuracy. In place of the projected 25mph winds howling over the Old Course there is a gentle breeze from the east that has the front nine — in contrast with yesterday — playing a lot easier. Good scores today will have to made on the way out.

Which is exactly what Juli Inkster has done. Apparently on the way home after an opening 79, the seven-time major champion nipped to the turn in 31 shots, five under par, and birdied the tenth for good measure. Suddenly, the Californian is level par for the tournament and only one shot behind Annika Sorenstam, who has failed to take advantage of the benign conditions and sits even par for the day, one under for the championship.

One other to make early progress today is Sherri Steinhauer. Three times a winner of this event, the American has yet to drop a shot through 12 holes and is now three under par, three shots behind the overnight leader, Lorena Ochoa.

Lorena Ochoa took a step toward her first major championship title, shooting a a 6-under 67 to take the lead at the Women's British Open Thursday. Louise Friberg of Sweden and In-Bee Park of Japan are tied for second. Annika Sorenstam played the course in one under to remain in lurking distance. The other notable player of the day, Michelle Wie, shot an even-par 73. Read the full first-round reports on ESPN and on Golf World and check out our first-round photos. I also found these interesting stories:

• Boston Globe reports on a New Day for the Old Course
• Sorenstam's helpful text message from Tiger Woods
• Wie settles for an even-par round
• How Laura Davies and St Andrews suit each other

Have you come across anything interesting? Share it  by posting your comment below.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--As the owners of the unofficial 19th hole in St Andrews, Jack and Sheena Willoughby have seen a lot of professional golfers, caddies and fans come through their doors over the past 13 years. Pictures of John Daly, Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Jim Furyk and just about anyone who's walked the hallowed grounds of the Old Course, a mere 112 yards from The Dunvegan Hotel, adorn the walls of the corner lounge bar.

But this week, the bar has a different feel to it. Pictures of Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa and Cristie Kerr grace the walls, and the regular customers are LPGA players, their caddies, families and friends. Sheena, for one, thinks it's about time. This week's RICOH Women's British Open is the first women's professional tournament to come to St Andrews.

"I think it's been a long time coming, and I'm delighted to see the girls here," said Willoughby, who's husband, a fourth generation Texan whom she met while working for an oil company in Aberdeen, northeast of St Andrews, convinced her to buy the hotel in 1994. "Although the golf courses here are public, it's a very male-dominated town.

"Everybody wants to see how the women compare to the men—how far do they hit the ball, can they hit a chip-and-run as well. There's a curiosity factor because we haven't seen professional women play here. I think, by the end of the week, they'll be humbled by how well they play."

There's another reason why Willoughby is happy to see the women this week. While the bar was very busy on Monday and Tuesday this week, it's not the shoulder-to-shoulder, pint-to-pint frat party that men's British Open week can be. The Willoughbys have seen the men's Open championship come to town three times (1995, 2000, 2005), but this is the first time Sheena has walked 18 holes in one day—something she did on Thursday with Lorena Ochoa's group. In fact, Willoughby was up at 3 a.m. Thursday morning, getting some organizational work done,  just so she could witness history in the making at 6:30 a.m. local time as Australia's Nikki Garrett became the first woman professional to hit a shot on the Old Course.

"The men's Open is a fabulous atmosphere, but it gets so busy, I don't get to see any golf," Willoughby said. "Oh, I've seen Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods walk up the 18th fairway, but I've never been able to follow a golfer for all 18 holes. I'm having an amazing time this week."

Among the players to stop in for a pint this week are Ochoa, Meg Mallon, Betsy King, defending champion Sherri Steinhauer and Angela Park. All of them, Willoughby said, have taken time to chat and have their photograph taken.

"Everyone seems happy to be in St Andrews and to play golf on the Old Course," Willoughby said. "There's so much camaraderie. And I feel a big part of this week, too, because of this location. I tried to get into the spirit by hanging pictures of the girls, and I got the flags up [of each nation]."

In April, Willoughby had a chance to play a practice round with American Paula Creamer ("I gave her a Scottish headcover for luck, which she has in her bag this week," Willoughby said.), but she confesses to be rooting for Ochoa come Sunday. Ochoa, after all, is staying at The Dunvegan this week. Her family rented out five rooms nearly a year ago.

"Obviously, I'm rooting for Lorena," she said. "But I just have so much respect for all of the girls."

ST ANDREWS, Scotland--Lorena Ochoa had to wake up at 5 a.m. Thursday morning for her 7:03 tee time, but she's not complaining. Taking advantage of favorable scoring conditions, Ochoa fired a bogey-free 6-under par 67 to take the clubhouse lead at the RICOH Women's British Open. Sweden's Louise Friberg (69) was two shots back and Japan's Ai Miyazato (70) and England's Rebecca Hudson (70) were three behind. American Brittany Lincicome birdied two of her last three holes to finish at 2 under, four shots back.

Michelle Wie, 3 under after 10 holes, bogeyed the 14th and 16th holes to finish the day at even par.

Ochoa didn't hit a single bunker on the Old Course and was in control of her game from the start, reeling off consecutive birdies on holes 8, 9 and 10 to put her in solid position heading into the second round, which figures to be not as kind weather-wise.

"It was a really early wake-up call, but I don't mind that. I'm a morning person," said Ochoa, who is seeking to validate her No. 1 world ranking with her first major title this week. "I don't know how the weather is going to be the next three days, but I'm happy I did it [scored low] today.

"On a course like this, it's always important to have some advantage, because we have to be up for everything. "We could have bad weather the next couple of days, or you could have a bad hole or be in one of those bunkers. Anything can happen."

Ochoa, who went off in the fourth group, was greeted by sunny skies and relatively little wind Thursday, but that figures to change over the next few days. The forecast for St Andrews calls for widely scattered showers and wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour on Friday, and more rain on Saturday morning with wind gusts reaching as high as 40 mph.

"I had in my head I could shoot 2- or 3-under but it was even better than I thought," said Ochoa. "Once you start playing and you see the good conditions, and you begin to feel a good rhythm, you're like, 'OK, let's try and go 6-, 7-under. We tried to play more aggressive on the back and shoot something really special."

After making the turn at 3-under 33, Ochoa ran her birdie streak to three consecutive holes on the par-4 10th, hitting her approach from 115 yards to three feet. She hit another laser approach to two feet on No. 15 for birdie and then challenged the Road Bunker on the par-5 17th with a 5-iron approach from 190 yards, landing her shot 30 feet past the pin to set up a two-putt birdie.

With a 67 under her belt in the first women's major ever to be held on the Old Course at St Andrews, Ochoa was looking forward to a relaxing afternoon with friends and family, 35 of whom made the trip to Scotland from Mexico.

"My aunt said, 'Oh, you're going to finish playing around noon. What are we going to do then?' " said Ochoa, citing her early tee time. "It's nice. I have some time here and I'm going to spend the day with them, have an early dinner, maybe watch a movie."

NOTES: As Lorena Ochoa prepared to hit her putt from just off the green on the par-4 16th hole Thursday, she did something fairly unusual: She hit the putt right away; no practice strokes. Ochoa aligned the face of her putter perpendicular to her target line, and then hit away, nestling the 50 foot putt to 12 inches for an easy tap-in par. Ochoa made the change to no practice swings prior to the start of this season. "I used to make a couple of practice swings, but I don't want to spend too much time over the ball thinking or second-guessing myself. Now I don't make a practice swing, and it's been working. I still have room to improve, but I think it was a positive change."