Rookie looks out for No. 1

The Associated Press

Published Friday, July 20, 2007

Meaghan Francella beat the top-ranked player in the world for her first LPGA Tour victory. The local favorite will have to do it again to advance in the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship in Rochelle, N.Y.

Francella, the 25-year-old LPGA Tour rookie from nearby Port Chester, teed off against top-ranked Lorena Ochoa this morning in the second round at Wykagyl Country Club. In March in Mexico, Francella edged Annika Sorenstam - then the No. 1 player - on the fourth hole of a playoff in the MasterCard Classic.

"It’s going to be fun," Francella said. "Hopefully, there will be some good golf played. Lorena is obviously the best player in the world right now. I had a good run with Annika in March, so hopefully I can take another No. 1 down."

Yesterday, the 33rd-seeded Francella beat Meena Lee 2-and-1 in front of a large, vocal gallery.

"It was pretty cool," Francella said. "There were a lot of people out here today. They were pretty rowdy, but they stayed under control. Thank God! I’m sure tomorrow it’s going to be a little bit more intense."

Ochoa advanced easily, while the third-seeded Sorenstam needed extra holes to avoid the series of upsets that claimed second-seeded Karrie Webb, major winners Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel and defending champion Brittany Lincicome.

Ochoa routed South African teenager Ashleigh Simon 6-and-5, matching the largest margin of victory in the history of the event.

"In match play, it’s always important to get off to a good start," Ochoa said.

Sorenstam, making her fourth start since returning from disk injuries in her back and neck, outlasted 62nd-seeded Katherine Hull in 20 holes.

Charlotte Mayorkas, at No. 63 the highest seed to advance in tournament history, beat Webb with a birdie on No. 18 after overcoming an early three-hole deficit.

The fourth-seeded Kerr dropped a 5-and-4 decision to 61st-seeded Amy Hung

● PGA: In Milwaukee, Jeff Maggert, who missed the cut in his previous four tournaments, put a putter he has had for "probably 15 or 20 years" and a new set of irons to good use at Brown Deer Park, shooting a 7-under-par 63 to tie rookie Brendon de Jonge for the lead in the first round of the U.S. Bank Championship.

Garrett Willis, who made the Brown Deer field as an alternate, is third at 6-under. Tour veteran Robert Gamez is tied for fourth at 5-under with Jay Williamson, who made the field on a sponsor exemption. Jesper Parnevik is one of five players tied for sixth at 4-under.

Other players at 5-under include Steve Elkington, Tim Herron, Craig Bowden and Tom Johnson.