Guadalajara, Mexico – This one was over quickly on Sunday.
Catriona Matthew put aside any doubt in the early stages of her final round, shooting a one-under 71 to win the Lorena Ochoa Invitational by four strokes.
Matthew finished 72 holes at 12-under 276 for her fourth LPGA Tour victory and first since 2009. The five-time Solheim Cup participant led by as many as eight on Sunday and saw her advantage dip to three in a late swoon; however, the lead she built at Guadalajara Country Club was never seriously threatened.
After lurking behind the leaders over the first two days, Matthew remained the most consistent golfer of the week with three of her four rounds in the 60s. It is only the fourth top-five finish of the year in 18 events for the 34th ranked player in the world.
I.K. Kim (71), who won this event in 2010, shared a distant second with Anna Nordqvist (71) at eight-under 280. Hee Kyung Seo (69), Ai Miyazato (71) and Juli Inkster (72) were another three shots back in fourth at minus-five.
Although Inkster didn't win or contend over the weekend, her fourth-place finish was the best of the year and the first top-five since late last year at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia (second).
She was aiming to become the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history before Saturday's three-over 75 hampered those chances.
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