Lorena Ochoa Reyes burst on the women’s professional golfing scene in 2002 after enjoying an outstanding junior golfing career with five Junior World Championship titles and an impressive collegiate career, being named NCAA Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002.
In her first full season on the LPGA Tour she had eight top-10 finishes and finished ninth on the Tour’s money list. She was named Rookie of the Year. Ochoa would go on to win 27 victories on the LPGA Tour, including two Major Championships (Women’s British Open 2007 and the ANA Inspiration in 2008).
Though Ochoa Reyes’ career lasted only seven years, she dominated the women’s tour and was ranked World Number One in the Official World Rankings for 158 consecutive weeks (2007-2010). In a three-year stretch (2006-2008), she won 21 tournaments, including the two Majors and in 2008, she dominated with wins by as many as 11 strokes on more than one occasion.
Ochoa Reyes always knew what she wanted to accomplish and quit the tour on her terms. She retired at the very top of the women’s game. She said that she always felt that she was competing against herself, and not anybody else.
Lorena Ochoa Reyes is the first Mexican-born golfer to find her richly deserved place among the greats of the game in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
