Lorena Ochoa - Part 2 (College Years and Turning Pro)
In this second installment of our four-part conversation with two-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Lorena Ochoa, we dive into her collegiate journey, the transition to professional golf, and the defining moments that shaped her career.
Lorena reflects on her time at the University of Arizona, where she quickly became a dominant force in college golf, winning Player of the Year honors twice and setting the stage for what would become a legendary career. She shares the challenges she faced as an international student, from language barriers to adjusting to life in the U.S., and how she embraced every opportunity to grow as both a golfer and a person.
From there, we follow her bold decision to turn professional, bypassing Q-School by earning her LPGA Tour card through the Futures Tour. She recounts the intensity of those early years, the pressure of proving herself, and the mentors—including Annika Sörenstam and Betsy King—who helped guide her through the transition. Lorena also shares the thrill of her first professional win, the emotions of standing on the 18th green with her family watching, and the mindset that allowed her to consistently dominate, winning by an average margin of 3.74 strokes—a staggering statistic that underscores her greatness.
This episode offers a rare look at the determination, strategy, and passion that fueled Lorena’s rise to world number one. Tune in for an inspiring discussion about chasing dreams, handling pressure, and the road to becoming a legend.
🎧 Listen now and stay tuned for Part 3, where we dive into the peak of Lorena's LPGA career and the moments that defined her reign at the top, "FORE the Good of the Game."
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About
"FORE the Good of the Game” is a golf podcast featuring interviews with World Golf Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around the game of golf. Highlighting the positive aspects of the game, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by PGA Tour star Bruce Devlin, our podcast focuses on telling their life stories, in their voices. Join Bruce and Mike Gonzalez “FORE the Good of the Game.”
Thanks so much for listening!
Ochoa Reyes, Lorena
Golf Professional
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.
