Heading into 2007, Lorena Ochoa is on top of her game. As this profile will attest, she possess both world-class golfing talent and unmatched character and integrity.
As the LPGA season prepares to get underway, golf fans are anxiously waiting to see a continuation of Lorena Ochoa's near dominance of ladies professional golf. Although Ochoa was undoubtedly a fantastic golfer, it was not until last year's breakout season that she became a household name.
Name: Lorena Ochoa
Born: November 15, 1981 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
College: University of Arizona
2006 LPGA Money List Ranking: 1
2006 World Golf Ranking: 2
Awards and Recognition:
- 2001 NCAA Player of the Year
- 2001 Received Mexico's National Sports Award
- 2002 Turned Professional
- 2003 LPGA Rookie of the Year
- 2006 LPGA Rolex Player of the Year
- 2006 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year
- 2006 Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average on the LPGA Tour (69.24)
- NCAA Record for most consecutive victories (8)
Growing Up: At the age of five, Lorena Ochoa began playing golf when her father started taking her to the Guadalajara Country Club, next to her home. For Lorena, golf started as a fun way to get together with her family, but she soon began to demonstrate serious talent. That talent, combined with enjoyment in playing the game, led her father to get her a teacher. From there her young career took off. At the age of six, Lorena won her first competition, her state tournament. At seven, she won her national tournament and at age eight, she was the top ranked junior in her native Mexico and Junior World Champion.
Her success with golf did not stop there, as she became a stand-out college golfer at the University of Arizona and the NCAA Player of the Year in 2001. After turning pro in 2002, she continued her rise to the top. She attributes her success to her hard work and her faith, as she is a devout Catholic. Her upbringing and her faith established in her a desire to help others. Unlike so many others, when she began earning money as a professional golfer, her first act was to create a foundation to help those less fortunate. In 2004, she began the Lorena Ochoa Foundation to help the impoverished children of Mexico.
Her career goals are not uncommon; win tournaments, win majors. Recently, however, in an interview with the Associated Press, she said that she did not want to play more than 10 years due to her desire to have a family and lead a more normal life. It is truly extraordinary to see a professional athlete, especially after such a stellar year, limit a career in exchange for personal goals.
LPGA Highlights: In 2006, she won six tournaments to bring her total to eight professional wins. She finished the season as the leader in five categories:
- Top Ten Finishes (20 of 25 tournaments)
- Birdies (395)
- Eagles (15)
- Greens in Regulation
- Scoring Average
Lorena Ochoa is a champion in every sense of the word. Even after a year of which most only dream, the best is yet to come for her.
