MT.PLEASANT, S.C., Monday, April 28, 2008 ­ The $2.6 million Ginn Tribute hosted by ANNIKA will be played for the second-consecutive year at RiverTowne Country Club in Charleston, S.C., May 26-June 1, 2008, with inaugural champion Nicole Castrale looking to defend her title.

The 2007 Ginn Tribute hosted by ANNIKA saw Castrale earn her first LPGA victory by defeating No. 1-ranked Lorena Ochoa in a one-hole sudden death playoff.

“I am looking forward to defending my first win on the LPGA at the Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika,” said Castrale. “Annika has been a great ambassador for women’s golf and I will always cherish winning her inaugural event on the LPGA.”

Castrale, who originally joined the LPGA in 2002, made the cut in 22 of 24 events in 2007. She finished 15th on the season-ending money list with nearly $900,000. In addition to winning her first LPGA title in 2007, her season was highlighted by being a member of the U.S. Solheim Cup Team. The 29-year-old sunk the winning putt in singles competition for the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup team to retain the Cup. Thus far in 2008, she posted her best finish at the Stanford International Pro-Am, where she tied for 14th.

In 2007, the Ginn Tribute Hosted by ANNIKA began with Angela Park taking the first-round lead with a well-crafted 6-under-par 66. After Friday’s second round, Ochoa was atop the leaderboard. The world’s No. 1-ranked woman vaulted to that accustomed spot after a 5-under-par 67 moved her to 9-under for the tournament. Ochoa enjoyed a three-shot lead over Park and four over Paula Creamer.

On Saturday, storm clouds rolled in, bringing not only steady rain and gusty winds, but a foreshadowing of what would follow Sunday. After a 2-under 70, Ochoa held her three-shot lead over Castrale ­ who climbed into second with a marvelous 68 ­ but Ochoa knew she could have put things away for good...had she not bogeyed her final two holes. She led by six shots with six holes left.

That would prove prophetic come Sunday, as the back-nine once again bit Ochoa. She took a three-shot lead into the 11th hole, the easy par-5, only to walk away with a three-putt bogey. Ochoa bogeyed the other par-5 (16) after yanking her tee shot into the rough left of the green and failing to get up-and-down. Castrale, meanwhile found herself trying to not only catch Ochoa, but fend off a surging Cristie Kerr, who eagled 11 and birdied 12 and 13 to reach 9-under.

Ochoa birdied 15 to hold onto that two-shot lead, only to give a stroke back with the bogey on 16, a fate she shared with Castrale. The par-3 17th would be the turning point for all three: Kerr ended her run with a double-bogey after dumping her tee shot in the right rough and fluffing the chip.

Putting from the first cut, Ochoa ran her birdie chance about eight feet past the hole and missed her comeback. And Castrale drilled a 12-footer to finish the two-shot swing and tie for the lead at 9-under.

Both players left their birdie tries short on the 18th hole, sending them back to the 18th tee for sudden death. There, Ochoa pulled her tee shot, with the ball bounding left into the hazard. After Castrale put her approach on the green, Ochoa, who had taken a drop into the high rough, hit her third shot inside Castrale’s ball on the green.

Castrale two-putted, then watched in disbelief as Ochoa’s par attempt just missed, giving the Californian her first career LPGA victory and the $390,000 paycheck.