Meet the Woman Who Brought Mexico to the Hall of Fame

By Brittany Wynne, World Golf Hall of Fame

The first Mexican-born player in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

It’s a statement that carries a sense of respect and honor. And it’s a statement that only one can claim. There may be no one more deserving of such a statement than Lorena Ochoa.

Beginning at the age of five, Lorena had already developed a passion for golf. Just one year after picking up a golf club, she won her first state event with her first national event only one year later. Her goal? To be “the best player in the world.”

Lorena Ochoa’s brief seven-year career on the LPGA Tour has led to a series of victories that far exceeds what most players accomplish in decades. Before she reached age 30, Lorena had earned her rightful place in the World Golf Hall of Fame – barring the age requirement.

Two Major Championships, 27 LPGA Tour victories, the No. 1-ranked player in the world for three years, and a slew of awards and honors are just a few pieces of what makes Lorena Ochoa an icon.

The other pieces? For starters, she had the strength to retire at the top of her game. She did it to embark on a new adventure: motherhood. Some say she traded one full-time job for another. For Lorena, motherhood is the ultimate reward. It’s her “top priority.”

And with three beautiful children, she somehow manages to continually contribute to the game of golf through her work with the Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation, working to inspire education, health and inclusion through golf programs.

It’s this type of work, both in the game of golf and in the world, that inspires others. It surely is the work of someone worthy of a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame – a place she can now call her second home.

“It is an honor to be the first Mexican, and especially after a career as short as mine was,” Lorena Ochoa expressed regarding her entry into the World Golf Hall of Fame. “It has been amazing – the same as playing a tournament and winning around the world, but now I am able to share this in Mexico with my friends and family. It is special to be in a place where some of the most important players are.”

Earlier this year, Lorena Ochoa made the trip from Mexico to St. Augustine, Florida where she was able to see the World Golf Hall of Fame in person – the place where her legacy will forever live. She walked through the Museum, stopped by her future locker in the Member Locker Room, and met her fellow Class of 2017 Inductees.

It was during this trip that Lorena was able to do what no one before her had ever done.

One of the traditions at the World Golf Hall of Fame is to raise a flag representing the home countries of its Members. Up until the 2017 class, 16 countries were represented by their flags flying at the front of the Museum – Argentina, Australia, Canada, Fiji, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America and Zimbabwe.

And then came Lorena Ochoa.

As the first Mexican-born inductee to join the Hall of Fame, it was time to raise the Mexican flag to signify Lorena had earned her rightful place alongside the other golf legends. On March 14, 2017, she unfolded the flag of her homeland and rung it up the flagpole. Mexico had officially arrived at the World Golf Hall of Fame.

To make the moment even more unforgettable, the World Golf Hall of Fame live broadcasted the moment on its Facebook channel, which spiraled into a life of its own – catching the eyes of 2.5 million viewers. It became clear to see just how much this woman means to her country through the immense outpouring of love from her compatriots.

It was a trip unlike any other. Coincidentally, this visit carried more value to her than anyone could have imagined.

Before Lorena Ochoa married her current husband, Andrés Conesa, he took her on a surprise vacation to a little place called the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. During that visit, Andrés made one remark that she wouldn’t soon forget.

“One day, you will come back here as a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.”

And that she did.