Lorena Ochoa

1.1. Early life and upbringing

Born on November 15, 1981, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Lorena Ochoa was the third of four children. Her father was a real estate developer, and her mother was an artist. She was introduced to golf at the age of five, quickly demonstrating her talent by winning her first state event at six and her first national event at seven. At 11 years old, Ochoa approached Rafael Alarcón, a professional golfer and 1979 Canadian Amateur Championship winner, at the Guadalajara Country Club, near her family home. She asked him to coach her, stating her ambition to become the best player in the world. In 2000, she moved to the United States to attend the University of Arizona on a golf scholarship, where she was a teammate of fellow freshman Natalie Gulbis. During her time in Tucson, Ochoa diligently improved her English through tutoring, watching movies, and reading magazines between her golf practices and tournaments.

1.2. Amateur achievements

Ochoa's amateur career was exceptionally successful. As a junior, she won 22 state events in Guadalajara and 44 national events in Mexico. She notably captured five consecutive titles at the Junior World Golf Championships. During her two years at the University of Arizona, she dominated women's collegiate golf, winning 12 amateur titles. She was honored with the NCAA Player of the Year Awards in both 2001 and 2002. She finished as runner-up at both the 2001 and 2002 NCAA National Championships and was named to the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) 2001 All-America First Team.

In 2001, she won the Pac-10 Women's Golf Championships, was recognized as the Pac-10 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, and was selected for the All-Pac-10 First Team in both 2001 and 2002. In her second year, she achieved an extraordinary feat by winning eight out of the ten events she entered, including setting an NCAA record with seven consecutive victories in her first seven events. She also won the Golfstat Cup in both 2001 and 2002, an award given to the player with the best scoring average against par over at least 20 rounds. She set the single-season NCAA scoring average record as a freshman with 71.33 strokes, and then improved upon it in her sophomore year with an average of 70.13 strokes.

In November 2001, Ochoa received Mexico's National Sports Award from President Vicente Fox, becoming the youngest person and the first golfer to earn Mexico's highest sporting honor. In 2006, she was named the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Most Outstanding Student Athlete, an award recognizing outstanding performances over the past 25 years. In 2003, she was the recipient of the Nancy Lopez Award, presented annually to the world's most outstanding female amateur golfer. Nancy Lopez herself commented on Ochoa's character, noting that after a second meeting, Ochoa would remember not only a person's name but also minute details from their previous conversation.

2.1. Transition to professional golf

Ochoa decided to turn professional after completing her second year of college. In 2002, she competed on the Futures Tour, where she quickly made an impact by winning three out of ten events. Her strong performance led her to top the Futures Tour money list, securing her membership on the LPGA Tour for the 2003 season. She was also recognized as the Duramed Futures Tour Player of the Year.

2.2. LPGA Tour success

In her rookie season on the LPGA Tour in 2003, Ochoa recorded eight top-10 finishes, including two runner-up placements at the Wegmans Rochester and Michelob Light Open at Kingsmill. She concluded the season as the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year and ranked ninth on the LPGA official money list. In 2004, she claimed her first two LPGA Tour titles: the Franklin American Mortgage Championship, where she became the first Mexican-born player to win on the LPGA Tour, and the Wachovia LPGA Classic. That same year, she demonstrated her consistency by placing in the top ten in three of the four major championships.

In 2005, Ochoa continued her success by winning the Wegmans Rochester LPGA. The 2006 season marked a turning point in her career. At the Kraft Nabisco Championship, her opening round of 62 (10 under par) tied the record for the lowest score ever by any golfer in a major tournament. Although she lost in a playoff to Karrie Webb, this was her best finish in an LPGA major at the time. By the end of 2006, she had secured six tournament victories, topped the LPGA money list, and earned her first LPGA Tour Player of the Year award. This award is based on a points system for top-10 finishes, with points doubled at major championships and the season-ending ADT Championship. She also received the LPGA Vare Trophy for achieving the lowest scoring average on the LPGA Tour. Her achievements in 2006 were recognized beyond golf, as she won the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year award and received Mexico's National Sports Prize for the second time.

2.3. Major championship victories

Ochoa's dominance culminated in two major championship victories. In August 2007, she won her first major championship at the historic Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. She achieved a wire-to-wire victory by four shots at the Women's British Open, marking a significant milestone in her career. She followed this by winning the next two LPGA events, the CN Canadian Women's Open and the Safeway Classic, becoming the first player since Annika Sörenstam in 2005 to win three consecutive events.

In April 2008, Ochoa secured her second major championship title at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. This victory made her the first golfer to win consecutive LPGA majors since Annika Sörenstam in 2005. She celebrated this win by traditionally jumping into the pond on the 18th green. The following week, she won the Corona Championship in her home country by an impressive 11 strokes. This win provided her with the final tournament victory needed to qualify for the World Golf Hall of Fame, although formal induction required her to complete ten seasons on the LPGA Tour.

2.4. World number one ranking and records

Lorena Ochoa's consistent high performance led her to the pinnacle of women's golf. In April 2007, she surpassed Annika Sörenstam to become the world's number one ranked golfer. She maintained this top position for an astounding 158 consecutive weeks, an LPGA Tour record, until her retirement in May 2010. In 2007, Ochoa also became the first woman in history to earn more than 4.00 M USD in a single season, breaking Sörenstam's previous record of 2.86 M USD.

2.5. LPGA Tour awards and honors

Lorena Ochoa received numerous prestigious awards and honors throughout her LPGA Tour career, recognizing her exceptional skill and dominance:

• LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year:** 2003
• LPGA Rolex Player of the Year:** 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
• LPGA Tour Money Winner:** 2006, 2007, 2008
• LPGA Vare Trophy:** 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Heather Farr Player Award:** 2007
• Bob Jones Award:** 2011

2.6. Futures Tour statistics

2.7. LPGA Tour statistics

The first three events of 2002 were played as an amateur; missed cut was an injury withdrawal (neck) prior to second round of the 2002 U.S. Women's Open.
Ochoa was not included in the final 2010 scoring average rankings; her final event was in early May.

3.1. Announcement and reasons

On April 20, 2010, Lorena Ochoa released a statement indicating her intention to retire from professional golf. At a press conference held in Mexico City on April 23, 2010, she explained her decision. Ochoa stated that her career plan had always been to play for "around ten years" and to achieve the world number one ranking. She revealed that during a trip to Asia, she realized she no longer felt the motivation to compete, stating, "I just was thinking of other things. I wanted to get home. I wanted to start working on the foundation. I wanted to be here close to my family."

Ochoa affirmed that she would maintain her membership in the LPGA and expressed her openness to playing in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and potentially returning for major championships like the U.S. Women's Open or the Kraft Nabisco Championship in the future. She made a limited return to competitive golf in 2012, participating in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France on the Ladies European Tour, where she finished T22. She also competed in the 2012 edition of her own Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

3.2. Final tournament

Lorena Ochoa's last professional competition was the 2010 Tres Marias Championship, which took place from April 29 to May 2. She completed her final round on May 2, officially stepping away from full-time competitive golf.

4.1. Hosting tournaments: Lorena Ochoa Invitational

In November 2008, even before her retirement, Ochoa became the host of a new annual LPGA event, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. The tournament is held at her original home course, Guadalajara Country Club, and its proceeds are dedicated to supporting the Lorena Ochoa Foundation.

4.2. Philanthropy: Lorena Ochoa Foundation

Lorena Ochoa is deeply committed to philanthropy through the Lorena Ochoa Foundation. The foundation operates La Barranca, a primary school in Guadalajara that serves 250 underprivileged students with an innovative curriculum. In 2008, the foundation expanded its educational initiatives by opening a high school with 21 freshman students. The long-term plan for the foundation, as outlined by its director Carmen Bolio, is to add a new class each year and eventually construct a separate high school building.

4.3. World Golf Hall of Fame induction

Lorena Ochoa's exceptional career was recognized with her induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017. She had met the criteria for induction, including winning two major championships and accumulating 27 points towards the Hall of Fame, with her victory at the 2008 Corona Championship. However, under the rules at the time, she also needed to complete ten seasons on the LPGA Tour. Her early retirement in 2010 initially seemed to preclude her immediate induction. However, a revision to the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria in 2015 for the female competitor category reopened her path, leading to her well-deserved induction in 2017.

4.4. Broader impact and influence

Lorena Ochoa's impact extends far beyond her individual achievements in golf. She is revered as a national hero in Mexico, inspiring a generation of athletes and serving as a powerful role model for women in sports globally. Her pioneering success as the first Mexican golfer to reach the world number one ranking and win major championships has significantly contributed to the growth and popularity of golf in Mexico and Latin America. Her dedication to her foundation and commitment to improving educational opportunities for underprivileged children further highlight her legacy as a compassionate and influential public figure.

5.1. Marriage and family

Lorena Ochoa became engaged to Andrés Conesa Labastida, the CEO of Aeroméxico, and they married in December 2009. Conesa Labastida had been previously married and had three children from his prior marriage. In April 2011, Ochoa announced her pregnancy with the couple's first child. As of mid-2017, she has three children.

Her successes in golf have also fueled her family's business, the Ochoa Group in Guadalajara, which is managed by her brother, Alejandro Ochoa. Lorena Ochoa is represented by Ochoa Sports Management, which also manages Rafael Alarcón and Sophia Sheridan, another Mexican golfer. The Ochoa family aims to grow the game of golf in Mexico through Lorena Ochoa Golf Academies, established by Lorena, Alejandro, and Alarcón. Ochoa Sports Management also oversees the LPGA Corona Championship, an annual tour stop in Morelia, Mexico, and the Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

7.1. Amateur representation

• Espirito Santo Trophy**: 1998, 2000

7.2. Professional representation

• World Cup**: 2005