Where Is Lorena Ochoa Now?

Lorena Ochoa, the number one Mexican golfer of all time and the number one female golfer in the world, is in Berkshire, England, where she is half way through the Women’s British Open.  She is the defending champion, having won this event by four strokes in 2007.  At the end of the second round of play Ochoa is at 7 under par 137 and 3 strokes behind the leaders, Yuri Fudoh and Ji-Yay Shin, who are tied for first place at 10 under par 134. 

Ochoa grew up next to the Guadalajara Country Club and began golfing at the age of five.  She won a state event at age six and a national event at age seven.  She won a number of consecutive titles in the Junior World Golf Championships and entered the University of Arizona on a golf scholarship in 2000.  During the next two years she won numerous awards and set an NCAA record by winning the first seven events she entered.   Ochoa left the University of Arizona after her sophomore year to play professionally and gained entry into the LPGA Tour for 2003.

Ochoa’s first round score of 62 in the 2006 Kraft Nabisco ties the lowest round by any golfer, male or female, in a tournament. In April, 2007, she overtook Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam to become the number one ranked female golfer in the world.  Ochoa’s victory at the 2007 Corona Championship in her home country qualified her for the World Golf Hall of Fame, but she cannot be inducted until she completes 10 years on the LPGA Tour in 2012.  She intends to play for another four or five years before retiring to pursue other goals and opportunities to help others.