Pressel returns to Toledo

Morgan Pressel high fives instructor Matt Malario after making a putt on 18 at Highland Meadows. Pressel hopes for a return to her 2007 form at the Farr.

The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Morgan Pressel high fives instructor Matt Malario after making a putt on 18 at Highland Meadows. Pressel hopes for a return to her 2007 form at the Farr.

After a one-year absence, Morgan Pressel is back at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

She's hoping her game reverts back to the form of 2007, when she finished second to Se Ri Pak at Highland Meadows Golf Club.

"It's kind of hard to believe I wasn't here last year," Pressel said. "I just love this place and I'm happy to be back."

After receiving a sponsor's exemption for the Farr Classic in 2005, Pressel returned in 2006 and 2007, but played in an event in Ireland during the Farr last year.

2008 Farr champ Paula Creamer signs the hat of Brandon Bihn, 14, of Sylvania during a practice round .

This year, the 21-year-old Floridian has just one top-10 finish on the LPGA Tour. She is 41st on the tour money list with $132,811 in earnings this season.

Pressel has two career LPGA wins, including becoming the youngest to win a major tournament, winning at the age of 18 in 2007. Her first hole-in-one on tour came in 2007 at the Farr.

She said she was encouraged by her play at the Wegmans LPGA tournament last weekend in Rochester, N.Y. Pressel was in second place after the second and third rounds before shooting a 78 in the fourth round to finish 15th.

"That was the first time I've been in the last group this year, the first time I've really had a good chance at the tournament," Pressel said. "I probably putted some of the best I've putted in a long time. That's always very encouraging. I think it will continue to get better.

"I'm trying to take the positives from the week and realize it's good to be back in contention. I was certainly happy about that."

JUNIOR CHAMPS: A team of golfers from St. Ursula Academy, paired with LPGA pro Stacy Lewis, won the Aquafina Junior Pro-Am on Monday afternoon. Lewis' teammates were Evelina Antypas, Eileen Perry, Alexandra Graf and Megan McKernan.

PRO-AM PAIRINGS: The O-I Celebrity Pro-Am will be a day-long affair today with tee times running from 7 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. off both the Nos. 1 and 10 tees.

Among the featured LPGA pros (with tee times) going off hole No. 1 are Natalie Gulbis (8:30 a.m.), Cristie Kerr (8:40), No. 1-ranked Lorena Ochoa (8:50), defending champion Paula Creamer (9 a.m.), and Toledo native Stacy Lewis (12:50 p.m.). The 1 p.m. group, headed by pro Anna Rawson, will include tournament host Jamie Farr.

Five-time Farr champ Se Ri Pak leaves the No. 10 tee at 8 a.m. Ex-champion Meg Mallon plays at 9 a.m. off No. 10. And Michelle Wie begins on the back nine at 12:20 p.m.

CHALLENGE CHAMPS: Amateur Dean Moskey came through with the winning shot in a chip-off to break a tie in yesterday afternoon's Image Group Celebrity/LPGA Challenge.

Threesomes headed by pros Kristy McPherson, Brittany Lincicome and Christina Kim tied at 2-under in the six-hole event. The teams then had a chip-off on the 18th green at Highland Meadows to decide a winner, and honors went to McPherson, celebrity partner Gene Cross, the UT men's basketball coach, and amateur partner Moskey.