Retired Lorena Ochoa still an inspiration for Mexican golfers at LPGA's Riviera Maya Open
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, México (AP) — Lorena Ochoa retired from professional golf 15 years ago, yet her impact on Mexican players on and off the course still looms large.
Eight Mexican golfers will compete in the Riviera Maya Open at El Camaleon Golf Club at Mayakoba starting Thursday, and all will be trying to follow in the footsteps of the former top-ranked Ochoa as the LPGA returns to Mexico for the first time since 2017.
'She meant everything, every time I see her, and whether I'm having a good year or bad year, I'm like, it's your fault that I'm here,' said Maria Fassi, the 2019 NCAA Division I women's individual champion while at Arkansas. "It really is. I wouldn't have even thought about playing professional golf if it wasn't for her.'
Ochoa was the world's top-ranked player for 158 consecutive weeks, from April 2007 until her retirement in May 2010, and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 2022.
The 27-year-old Fassi, who was the Mexican Amateur champion in 2015 and 2016, qualified for the tournament alongside Gaby Lopez and Isabella Fierro, while Carolina Rotzinger, María Balcázar, Clarisa Temelo; Fernanda Lira and Andrea Ostos were invited.
'I was fortunate enough to meet her at a young age. We had a good relationship since I was like 10 or 11', Fassi added. 'It was cool being able to pick up the phone and ask her a question. I hope that she knows that she's the reason why the eight of us are here'.
The 43-year-old Ochoa is attending the tournament to promote an association called Xuntas, which she created to promote women's golf and to guide golfers from the amateur circles to the pros.
'We have 45 girls in Xuntas and they are like sponges, they are not shy and they want to learn from the best,' Ochoa said. 'It is something really nice, I am trying to do as much as I can to help the new generation of Mexican players.'
The highest ranked Mexican player in the LPGA this season is Lopez, who is ranked 59th and works with Ochoa in Xuntas.
'We are committed to helping girls and teenagers, we want to accelerate their technical and mental development, aspects that are fundamental', said Lopez, who has won three times on the tour, most recently in 2022. 'This type of support didn't exist when I started, and I'm convinced it will allow them to change their lives.'
The other Mexican player who has played recently on the LPGA is 24-year-old Isabella Fierro, who make her debut last year, but lost her card and is aiming to get it back.
'The transition from amateur to professional was big, and Gaby and Maria have been helping me. I love that we are three Mexicans and hopefully that number can grow,' Fierro said. 'As for Lorena, I speak with her twice a week, she helps me a lot, she is an inspiration every day, not just on the golf course.'
The LPGA signed a five-year contract with the organizers and many local girls will have a chance to catch a glimpse of the best golfers and perhaps be motivated to play the sport in the future, just like many of today's golfers did in the past.
'Lorena is the GOAT (greatest of all times). She's probably the reason I started playing golf', said Albane Valenzuela, who was born in New York and whose her father, Alberto, played with Ochoa in the 2001 Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship.
'My dad won with Lorena back in the day and me growing up and as a teenager, she always took time to talk to me, brought me golf balls, brought me her polos, and I just always had very fond memories of her', Valenzuela said. 'I think she's the most gracious, humble champion that golf has ever produced.'
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