Two-shot win in Las Vegas sparked Ward’s big year

Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2006 | 8:13 a.m.

Last year was a memorable one on the LPGA Tour for Wendy Ward.

In her 10th season on tour, Ward earned her fourth LPGA title, passed the $3 million mark in career earnings and earned a spot on the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup team.

None of it would have been possible, Ward said, had she not eked out a two-shot victory over Lorena Ochoa last April in the Takefuji Classic at Las Vegas Country Club.

"I hadn't won in over three years, which, I think, got to be a new challenge for me to kind of get that monkey off my back," Ward said. "It was a fun event, especially with Lorena Ochoa pressing me down the stretch.

"Obviously, that week last year really kind of jump-started my year and got my confidence level up. I was trying to get on the Solheim Cup team ... so, for me, that was just a very important week to get back in the winner's circle."

Ward said her most vivid memory of the tournament, in which she shot 16-under-par 200 for the 54-hole event, was standing in the fairway on the 18th hole during the final round at the Country Club and watching Ochoa putt on the 18th green.

"I remember watching (Ochoa) play 18 -- she was in the group ahead of me -- and the putt that I was watching, I thought was for an eagle and I knew I had a two-shot lead," Ward said. "I didn't realize that the putt was actually her birdie putt that she ended up missing.

"Obviously, (Las Vegas) has a special place in my heart now after the win last year."

Ward will be among 144 players -- including Las Vegas residents Natalie Gulbis, Stephanie Louden and In-Bee Park -- competing for the $1.1 million purse in the 2006 Takefuji Classic April 13-15 at Las Vegas Country Club.

SUBHEAD: Youth is served

In addition to 17-year-old Park of Las Vegas, Takefuji Classic officials recently extended a sponsor's exemption to Honolulu resident Ayaka Kaneko, who turned 16 this week.

Kaneko, a Japanese native, was named the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association's Player of the Year in 2005.

SUBHEAD: Also noted:

* Former UNLV standout Chad Campbell, who captured his third career PGA Tour victory Sunday in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, sits atop the PGA Tour money list with $1.34 million in two starts.

* Las Vegas native Robert Gamez is 32nd on the PGA Tour money list after three events. Gamez finished 72nd Sunday after two top-25 finishes to open the season.

* David Duval, who finished tied for 53rd last weekend in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, has made the cut in both events he has started this season. Duval has made only 10 cuts in his past 51 starts on the PGA Tour.

* Six members of the 2006 LPGA Tour list Nevada as their current residence: Brandie Burton, Laughlin; Natalie Gulbis, Henderson; Stephanie Louden, Las Vegas; Kim Saiki, Las Vegas; Patty Sheehan, Reno; and Annika Sorenstam, Incline Village.

Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at bh@lasvegassun.com.