Ochoa hosts event in native Mexico

Nov 13, 2008 - 1:24 PM GUADALAJARA, Mexico (TICKER) - Mexico's Lorena Ochoa pulls double duty this week as she hosts and tries to win the inaugural Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

Ochoa and 35 other players will tee it up at Guadalajara Country Club in the $1 million event with a $200,000 first prize.

In search of her eighth victory of the season, Ochoa has mathematically locked-up the Rolex Player of the Year honors and will be the star attraction as she hosts and plays in her native Guadalajara at the third-and-final Mexican event on the 2008 LPGA Tour schedule.

"It's a dream come true, that's for sure," Ochoa said. "I will not hesitate to say that this will be the biggest tournament of my career. I'm pretty sure that everybody will be rooting for me, and I just know that things will be fine. I'm looking forward to it."

Ochoa, who grew up playing the course, will face a field that includes 32 of the top 33 players on the 2008 LPGA Official Money List as well as five sponsor exemptions, two of whom - Juli Inkster and Laura Davies - have a combined 51 LPGA Tour wins.

The event also serves as the final tune-up for players competing in the 2008 ADT Championship.

Colombian Marisa Baena, Teresa Lu of Taiwan and Sophia Sheridan of Mexico round out the sponsor exemptions.

Annika Sorenstam will be looking for her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season and first since announcing she will step away from competitive golf at the end of the year.

Paula Creamer, Seon Hwa Lee, Yani Tseng and Helen Alfredsson are also in the field

This event will be the 15th LPGA Tour event hosted by an LPGA Tour player.