Ochoa’s Ascension Not Surprising

By Dave Shedloski

Lorena Ochoa replaced Annika Sorenstam as the No. 1 women’s player in the world in the Rolex Rankings in mid-April while Sorenstam sat on the sidelines nursing a back injury. But it was last year, with Sorenstam plenty healthy and still winning big events – like her third U.S. Women’s Open – when Ochoa paved the way to the top spot with six victories and LPGA Player of the Year honors.

Maybe Sorenstam’s back injury was the result of feeling Ochoa on her heels all too often.

After taking up golf with a passion at age 5, and enjoying a fruitful amateur and collegiate career, Ochoa has slowly blossomed from a talented rookie to a consistent contender. This ascension to the certainly comes as no shock to anyone who has followed this highly competitive native of Guadalajara, Mexico, from her days as a junior to her two dominating college seasons at the University of Arizona.

And she looks quite intent on maintaining her lofty status.

Two weeks ago, the 25-year-old Ochoa shot a 4-under-par 68 in the final round at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, N.J., to successfully defend her title at the Sybase Classic, beating Sarah Lee by three shots. It was her first win in four starts since becoming only the second player after Sorenstam to hold the women’s No. 1 ranking, and it was her 11th LPGA Tour victory since turning pro following the 2002 college season.

Lorena Ochoa has experienced a couple of Women's Open heartbreaks but won't let that deter her from tasting potential success. (Sam Greenwood/USGA)

Her eighth victory since the start of 2006 is a streak not unlike that she enjoyed at the University of Arizona. In just 20 college events Ochoa won 12 times, and she never finished more than three strokes out of first place. The only blemish on the résumé was her failure to win the NCAA Division I title (she was the runner-up to Candy Hanneman of Duke in 2001).

Also winner of the ’06 money title and the Vare Trophy for lowest stroke average, the only thing missing from Ochoa’s trophy shelf is hardware from a major championship, something she honestly believed might have happened by now, or at least before she topped the still relatively young rankings.

"When you are little, when you're practicing, when you are playing – well, when I was playing here in Mexico, every time I have a 10-footer or 12-footer, I say, ‘OK, this is to win the U.S. [Women’s] Open, this to win the Nabisco Championship.’ You kind of have it in your head just winning tournaments and especially winning majors," said Ochoa . "But for sure you never know how it's going to happen, when it's going to happen. It was just a special gift. The surprise is being No. 1 before winning that [major] trophy."

It’s not that she hasn’t had her chances. Ochoa has recorded 11 top 10 finishes already in majors, including a tie for 10th earlier this year at the Kraft Nabisco. One of her most disappointing near misses surely occurred two years ago in the U.S. Women’s Open at Cherry Hills Country Club outside of Denver, when she rallied on the final day and was one stroke off the lead before hitting her tee shot at the 72nd hole in the water and making a quadruple-bogey 8 to drop to sixth place.

"I can say that I'm able to win the tournament," Ochoa says of her experience in the Women’s Open, which includes a tie for 20th last year at Newport (R.I.) Country Club. "I've been there before. I'm more prepared this time. If I have a good chance on Sunday, I'm right there teeing off on 18, I think all the experience from years previous are going to really help me. That's my goal, just to have a chance to win the tournament, be in a good position on Sunday, give it a good try."

Before she gets to Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C., for the 62nd Women’s Open, Ochoa takes a shot at her first major in the McDonald’s LPGA Championship June 7-10 at Bulle Rock Golf Club in Havre de Grace, Md.

Back in 2001 when the Women’s Open last visited Pine Needles, Ochoa was the first alternate, so she has not yet seen the Donald Ross layout or any of the recent revisions done to the course.

No matter. Ochoa thinks she has the game to win any of the four majors. In regard to the Women’s Open in particular, her long game could figure into her chances.

"For sure my tee shots," said Ochoa when asked what facet of her game might be a key at Pine Needles. "I've been having good distance from the tee. I'm better compared to last year [in terms of] accuracy. I'm hitting a lot of fairways. It's one of those tournaments you have to make sure you hit the fairways because things will be a lot easier. That will be key for that week."

Like last year, Ochoa ranks among the leaders in greens in regulation and putting, but in 2007 her driving accuracy has actually fallen off slightly, although she is averaging 271 yards, 2 yards more than the previous season, to rank fourth on the LPGA Tour.

Ochoa’s 69.71 stroke average is nearly a shot better than second place Stacy Prammanasudh, which is why she is the only player with two wins to go with eight top-10 finishes in her first 10 starts. By learning to hang around the lead, it might be only a matter of time before majors fill her résumé.

"You know, I think it's all about just giving myself a chance and don't put any extra pressure, and I'm just going to try to enjoy and try to win as I always do," she said. "But I think I'm ready for a major. It's something that we all want to get. Hopefully, it happens this year and not only one time, hopefully a few times. I'm going to try hard.

"My way of thinking is always I play every tournament to win; it doesn't matter if it's a small tournament or a major tournament. I can only tell you that I really, really want to win a major. I know I'm more prepared. I have more experience. I feel ready to go."

Dave Shedloski is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.uswomensopen.com.