HUIXQUILUCAN, Mexico – It took almost two hours before Louise Friberg realized she had won the 2008 MasterCard Classic Honoring Alejo Peralta Presented by Nextel.
The LPGA Tour rookie set a tournament record—and tied her career low—with her final round 7-under-par 65. She started the round tied for 22nd at 1-over-par, and was playing eight groups ahead of the second-round leaders
Friberg carded a near-perfect round with six birdies, one eagle on the par-5, 12th hole, and one bogey on the 16th to close the event the winner by one stroke (72-73-65=210, -6) over 36-hole leader Yani Tseng (68-69-74=211, -5).
Louise Friberg showed no signs of the illness that had plagued her during the first two rounds of the MasterCard Classic Honoring Alejo Peralta Presented by Nextel, en route to carding a new tournament-low round 7-under-par 65.
Tseng was only able to convert for one birdie on the par-4, eighth hole to finish 2-over-par for the day and 5-under-par 211 for the event.
Her runner-up finish is a career best for the rookie, who had previously finished tied for sixth last year as a sponsor exemption at the CN Canadian Women’s Open. Rolex Rankings’ number one and 2008 HSBC Women’s Champions victor Lorena Ochoa overcame a shaky opening two rounds with a 4-under-par 68 during Sunday’s final round to finish tied for eighth (76-70-68=214, -2).
Leadferboard – Final:
1. Louise Friberg 72 73 65 210 – 6
2. Yani Tseng 68 69 74 211 – 5
3. Jane Park 72 70 70 212 – 4
Jill McGill 67 73 72 212 – 4
5. Pat Hurst 70 71 72 213 – 3
Na Yeon Choi 74 66 73 213 – 3
Eva Dahllof 69 70 74 213 – 3
8. Lorena Ochoa 76 70 68 214 – 2
Ji-Young Oh 68 67 79 214 – 2
10. Il Mi Chung 72 74 69 215 – 1
Irene Cho 72 74 69 215 – 1
Kim Hall 74 69 72 215 – 1