PLAYA DEL CARMEN, M茅xico (AP) 鈥 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.
鈥淪he meant everything, every time I see her, and whether I鈥檓 having a good year or bad year, I鈥檓 like, it鈥檚 your fault that I鈥檓 here,鈥 said Maria Fassi, the 2019 NCAA Division I women’s individual champion while at Arkansas. “It really is. I wouldn鈥檛 have even thought about playing professional golf if it wasn鈥檛 for her.鈥
Ochoa was the world’s top-ranked player for 158 consecutive weeks, from April 2007 until her retirement in May 2010, and .
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, Mar铆a Balc谩zar, Clarisa Temelo; Fernanda Lira and Andrea Ostos were invited.
鈥淚 was fortunate enough to meet her at a young age. We had a good relationship since I was like 10 or 11鈥, Fassi added. 鈥淚t was cool being able to pick up the phone and ask her a question. I hope that she knows that she鈥檚 the reason why the eight of us are here鈥.
The 43-year-old Ochoa is attending the tournament to promote an association called Xuntas, which she created to promote women鈥檚 golf and to guide golfers from the amateur circles to the pros.
鈥淲e have 45 girls in Xuntas and they are like sponges, they are not shy and they want to learn from the best,鈥 Ochoa said. 鈥淚t is something really nice, I am trying to do as much as I can to help the new generation of Mexican players.鈥
The highest ranked Mexican player in the LPGA this season is Lopez, who is ranked 59th and works with Ochoa in Xuntas.
鈥淲e are committed to helping girls and teenagers, we want to accelerate their technical and mental development, aspects that are fundamental鈥, said . 鈥淭his type of support didn鈥檛 exist when I started, and I鈥檓 convinced it will allow them to change their lives.鈥
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.
鈥淭he 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,鈥 Fierro said. 鈥淎s 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.鈥
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鈥檚 golfers did in the past.
鈥淟orena is the GOAT (greatest of all times). She鈥檚 probably the reason I started playing golf鈥, 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.
鈥淢y 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鈥, Valenzuela said. 鈥淚 think she鈥檚 the most gracious, humble champion that golf has ever produced.鈥
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