St Andrews memories

Lorena Ochoa claimed a first major victory in an historic staging of the AIG Women’s Open back in 2007.

The first professional women’s Championship to be staged at St Andrews, the 31st edition of this flagship event was dominated by the classy Mexican, who finished four strokes clear of Sweden’s Maria Hjorth and Lee Jee-young from South Korea.

“This is the most special round of golf I ever played,” Ochoa said of her final-day parade.

Ochoa had posted 11 top-10s in her previous 14 majors, including two runner-up finishes, before her breakthrough on the Old Course.

The world number one struck the front at the 9th hole of round one and did not relinquish that lead all weekend.

Ochoa opened with a six-under-par 67 and entered the final round with an ultimately unassailable six-stroke lead.

The then-25-year-old made her intentions clear early on Sunday, with birdies on 5 and 6 moving her to eight-under-par. She dropped a shot at the 8th but immediately got it back courtesy of a 25-foot putt at the 9th to reach the turn in 34.

This long putt deflated her rivals, with no-one able to mount a serious challenge down the stretch.

Ochoa was afforded the luxury of closing out victory without having to pick up a birdie on the back nine.

The first Mexican to win the AIG Women’s Open, Ochoa also became the first player to collect a maiden major title at St Andrews since Tony Lema won The Open in 1964.

St Andrews is readying itself to stage the Championship for a third time, between 21-25 August 2024.