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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Lorena Ochoa looking to recover form

with new caddie

It's been a few weeks since Lorena Ochoa, the world's No 1 female golfer, won a tournament so what does she do about it?
Change her caddie, of course! Isn't he the guy who gives her the clubs and she's the one who actually uses them?
The 26-time LPGA Tour winner is switching to veteran Greg Johnston starting next week at the Jamie Farr Classic in Ohio.
Ochoa won two majors and reached No. 1 in the world with Englishman David Brooker as her bag man, but she said yesterday that they are parting because of a new phase in her career.
She did not elaborate on what would be happening in the "new phase."
"It's not easy to let him go knowing he is such a great caddie and person," Ochoa said.
Johnston spent a dozen years working for Juli Inkster, and together they won 20 times, inclduing four majors. He left Inkster to work for Michelle Wie when she was 15 and had at least a share of the lead on the back nine of three majors. He also has worked for Britanny Lincicome, Suzanne Pettersen and Angel Park.

BETH BALDY WRITES ON THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE:
Lorena Ochoa has fired David Brooker, her caddie of nearly three years.
Brooker fractured his ankle during an organised soccer match at the Corona Championship in April and tried to make a comeback two weeks ago at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship. He carried the bag for one round before enlisting the help of long-time caddie Greg Johnston to finish the week.
Ochoa now has hired Johnston full-time.
“It came as a shock to me because I haven’t really been working lately,” said Brooker, who hoped to make his return in July at the Evian Masters. “Things seemed fine before my injury. Obviously that didn’t help the situation.”
Ochoa won twice with Brooker on the bag this season, first in Thailand and then in Mexico, although her instructor, Rafael Alarcon, worked the final round of the Corona after Brooker’s injury.
Brooker, 35, of England, began working with Ochoa in August 2006, and they won their first week together at the Wendy’s Championship for Children. Ochoa won 21 of 58 events with Brooker on the bag.
“I know Lorena is going through a lot of changes right now,” Brooker said. “But I didn’t think one would be me.”

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