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By SEAN MARTIN
Assistant EditorRANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Marisa Baena is a Hispanic player who dominated college golf while at the University of Arizona.
That’s where the similarities with Lorena Ochoa end. Baena, from Colombia, has yet to win a stroke-play title in nine seasons on the LPGA.
But both were on the leaderboard Friday during the second round of the Kraft Nabisco Champsionship. Ochoa’s presence was expected.
The same couldn’t be said for Baena.
She won 10 titles at Arizona and was a three-time first-team All-American; in 1996, she won the Pac-10, West Regional and NCAA titles and was runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
But she’s finished in the top 50 on the money list just twice in nine LPGA seasons, and is coming off surgery for a detached labrum in her right hip last August.
Baena’s hip injury was detected in December 2005, six months after she captured her only LPGA title at the HSBC Women’s World Match Play. She also had an injured back, which she said may have been worsened by her weakened hip.
“I already had my card (for 2006), so it was time to take care of me,” Baena said. “They told me I had all these things going on. I said, ‘Oh (expletive), this isn’t good.’ ”
She’d just completed a career year, finishing 12th on the money list. She thought the injury may heal itself, or that she could delay an operation for several years, but the pain became unbearable last year.
“I knew it was bad when I couldn’t sleep,” Baena said. “ I didn’t get any rest. My quality of life became miserable. I think eventually it connected to my game.
“The pain is still there, but it’s not the same. It’s more like a healing pain. I’m happy. The surgery went extremely well.”
Baena finished 77th at last week’s Safeway International, her first LPGA event since July 2007.
She couldn’t practice until January. She’d hit about 40 balls, but have to take the next two days off. She didn’t begin preparing in earnest for the Safeway until two weeks before the event.
“I overdid it last week,” Baena said. “I was excited to be back. By Monday, when I woke up, I couldn’t even barely walk.”
She didn’t play a practice round this week, and only hit 30 balls Wednesday. She spent the rest of the week in bed watching television. Baena, who is Catholic, drew inspiration from the movie ‘John Paul II.’
Baena’s play this week can be called inspired. She hit a hybrid to 2 feet on the second hole to make eagle, and was 3 under through 13 holes to reach the first page of the leaderboard.
Then fatigue set in. She made bogey on three of her final five holes for the second consecutive day, shooting 72 for a 1-over 145 total.
“My legs get heavy,” Baena said, “and it doesn’t work the same.”
Baena is carrying a folding spectators’ chair so she can sit down while waiting to hit shots. She chose to rest and didn’t practice after her round.
She may not be near the lead at T-24, but she’s “very excited” with her position through 36 holes.
At least she’s able to play again.
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Sean Martin is a Golfweek assistant editor. To reach him e-mail smartin@golfweek.com.
Posted: 4/4/2008
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