2008 Safeway Classic

Lorena Ochoa will be aiming to defend her title when the Safeway Classic starts on Friday at Columbia Edgewater Country Club. Ochoa clinched last year’s title by five strokes after finishing at 12 under par. The tournament also expects fan favorites Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel, and LPGA Tour and World Golf Hall of Fame member Karrie Webb. Yani Tseng, the 19 year-old rookie from Taiwan who became the second-youngest player to ever win an LPGA major earlier this year also plans to visit Portland.

The Safeway Classic is an annual LPGA golf tournament founded in 1972. Originally it was called The Portland Classic. It is the oldest continuous event on the LPGA Tour. Proceeds from the event are donated to local children’s charities. To date, over $9 million has been raised.

The Safeway Classic, presented by Pepsi, takes place Aug. 22-24. The 37th edition of the tournament expects to feature one of the final match-ups of the two most accomplished players of this decade in Ochoa and Sorenstam. Ochoa won the Safeway Classic in 2007 and is the current #1 player in the world based on the Rolex Rankings. Sorenstam, who held the #1 position prior to Ochoa, has announced that she will step away from competitive golf at the end of this year. She won back-to-back Safeway Classic titles in 2002 and 2003.

For more information you can go to the tournament website!