Golf's most dominant: It's Ochoa, not Tiger

Woods has more cash, but LPGA star's consistency is amazing

	Tiger Woods, left, and Lorena Ochoa dominate their respective circuits, the PGA and LPGA.
Byline Title: Stf / AP

Golf for Women

Golf on NBC

Next up: Del Webb Father-Son Challenge
Dec. 5-6: 4-6 p.m. ET, 3-6 p.m. ET
• Golf on NBC | '09 schedule

Latest golf video

Woods achieves goal of winning
Nov. 15: Tiger Woods says he put together some good rounds to win in Australia.

Faldo gets knighted

Flocking to see Tiger

Big goals for Tiger

Nicklaus keeping an eye on Tiger

Special feature

ADT Million Dollar Challenge
Play the game. Get the skills. Win big!

Slideshow

What were they thinking?
Check out some of golf's wildest on-course outfits

NBCSports.com

Slideshow

Houston Rockets v Los Angeles Lakers, Game 5

Phil and family
Take a look at photos of Phil Mickelson, his wife Amy and children.

more photos

Slideshow

Tiger and family
Tiger Woods is blessed both on and off the golf course.

more photos

Slideshow

Image: Boston Bruins left wing Sturm and Florida Panthers defenseman Ballard try to control puck in overtime period of their NHL hockey game in Boston

Week in Sports Pictures
A boxing champ celebrates, a kicker regrets, fans mourn a hero, and much more.

more photos

OPINION

By Dave Allen

updated 5:41 p.m. ET April 14, 2008

Let the debate begin. Tiger Woods' runner-up finish at The Masters and Lorena Ochoa's 11-shot runaway triumph at the Corona Championship in Mexico on Sunday made me wonder: Just who is the most dominant player in golf today?

Is it Woods, whose much talked about quest for the Grand Slam was derailed in the season's first major by Trevor Immelman, or Ochoa, whose average margin of victory in her four wins this season is an astounding 8.5 shots? So I did a little investigating.

Since the start of the 2007 season, Ochoa has competed in 30 LPGA Tour events, Woods in 21 PGA Tour events, with Ochoa winning 12 titles (40 percent) and Woods claiming 10 wins (48 percent). Woods has the edge there.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

However, in Ochoa's last 14 LPGA starts, dating back to last year's Ricoh Women's British Open, Ochoa has won nine times (64 percent) and finished outside the Top 10 only once — a 12th-place finish at last year's Hana Bank KOLON Championship in South Korea.

In Woods' last 14 PGA starts, dating back to last year's Memorial Tournament, he has won seven times (50 percent) and finished outside the top 10 only twice (a T15 at the Memorial and a T12 at the British Open Championship). The edge goes to Ochoa here, although it is worth noting that Woods did capture two non-PGA Tour events during that span: Last December’s Target World Challenge and this year's Dubai Desert Classic.

So which player is more dominant today? Based on her recent play and margin of victory, I'd have to give Ochoa the slight edge. But Woods holds a distinct advantage at the cash register: Since the start of the 2007 season, Ochoa has earned $5,415,544, while Woods has raked in $15,292,052, or a cool $728,193 per start!

Also from Golf for Women