Lorena Ochoa is off to another hot start. The world's top-ranked woman has won three of four LPGA tournaments including the season's first major, the Nabisco Championship.

Ochoa has been unstoppable since an uncharacteriscally poor performance in her backyard in Mexico. But she's been on cruise control since then, winning the past two tournaments be a combined 12 strokes.

Ochoa seemingly has no equal, no serious challenger to a throne she ascended last summer.

But when Ochoa arrives in Williamsburg early next month, she's likely to face a more focused, more determined Annika Sorenstam. Sorenstam the once-dominant No. 1 spent the off-season grinding away at the range in an effort to dethrone her successor.

The $2.2 million Michelob Ultra Open at the Kingsmill's River Course, considered the tour's fifth major, presents an opportunity for Richmond-area golf fans to witness the continuation of what could be intriguing summer-long battle between the tour's top two golfers.

Ochoa and Sorenstam will be seeking their first victory in this event, which began in 2003. Suzanne Pettersen, the defending champion, defeated Jee Young Lee in a three-hole, sudden-death playoff last year.

The Ochoa-Sorenstam battle is arguably the highlight of the professional season in the region. But there are other key regional PGA and Nationwide tournaments including the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., on July 3-6 and the Henrico County Open at The Dominion Club on April 24-27 in Richmond.

K.J. Choi is expected to return to defend his title in the $6 million AT&T National. Choi won the inaugural event, which Tiger Woods put together in only a matter of weeks.

. This year's field is expected to have 120 entrants including Woods, whose 1-under total left him with a share of sixth place last year.

Woods' invitational drew large crowds and an impressive field.

The $500,000 Henrico County Open is expected to feature defending champion Nick Flanagan. It's one of two Nationwide tournaments to be played in the region -- the $850,000 Melwood Prince George's County Open will be May 22-25.

The Champion Tour makes its South Atlantic swing on cosecutive weeks beginning Sept. 12 at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn in Conover N.C.

The swing concludes with the SAS Championship on Sept. 26-28 in Cary, N.C., and the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship on Oct. 9-12 at Baltimore Country Club.
Contact Ralph N. Paulk at (804) 649-6851 or rpaulk@timesdispatch.com.