Ochoa rallies, then wins playoff

Lorena Ochoa erased a three-shot deficit over the last two holes of regulation, then beat South Korean rookie In-Kyung Kim in a playoff to win the Wegmans LPGA yesterday in Pittsford, N.Y.

Ochoa closed with a 1-over-par 73 for an

8-under 280 total on the Locust Hill course and won with a par on the second playoff hole. She eagled the par-5 No. 17 and got even on the last hole when Kim missed a 4-foot putt for par.

"It was a really good thing -- not the beginning of the day but the end of the day," Ochoa said. "I just never lost my hope."

It was Ochoa's first playoff win in five attempts. She earned $270,000 and tops the season money list at $1.52 million, almost a half-million dollars more than her nearest rival, Suzann Pettersen of Norway.

The 19-year-old Kim, who closed with a 72, has made steady progress. Her previous best finish was a tie for fourth in the Corning Classic last month. She missed the cut in four of her first six outings but stayed through the weekend in the past six, tying for 21st at the LPGA Championship two weeks ago.

"I can cry right now, but I'm not going to cry for this," Kim said. "I played really tight with the No. 1 player, and I'll take that experience. Next time, I'm never going to let it go."

South Korean compatriot Mi Hyun Kim, an eight-time tour winner, drove behind trees to finish with a bogey and drop into third place at

7 under.