Thank you, Lorena

She made her last putt as an active LPGA member on Sunday; she scored par in the 18th of the Tres Marías Country Club. She was accompanied by thousands who followed her on the course and from thousands more who believed in her since she took a club for the very first time. With tears, hugs, smiles and cheers everyone said goodbye to the greatest golfer Mexico has had...

During her career, Lorena Ochoa won dozens of awards and recognitions, her accomplishments on the course were always a matter of talk, her compromise with Mexican society was known all through the world. Nevertheless, I won't write about it, today I'll relate what Lorena Ochoa was and will always be to me.

Seven years ago I started following women's golf; I didn't do it for Lore but for other player who I found prominent. To be honest, from 2003 to 2005, I didn't put much attention to her, but in the first tournament I covered -MasterCard Classic 2006- I realized that "Super Ochoa" was something more than just a pro golfer.

Her passion and honesty were overwhelming; I remember being at the press conference and there she was talking to the media after a 2 over par round, when she left the room she was already in tears.

I continued to do my journalistic work and found out that she was a young lady with lots of social responsibility, who wanted to share what she had, not only money-wise but also as a human being.

In 2007 I had the chance to see her win live at St. Andrews, Scotland. It was a Monday when I first hit the course, she was at the putting green and she made this long shot and sank the ball in, I reacted with a "bien Lore" shout; she turned around, left her putter on the grass and came over to say hello.

All week long she couldn't be more professional and classy, she gave me an exclusive interview for my Caras Sports Magazine (Caras Golf Magazine) assignment and even let me hold her trophy.

Time went by and she became a busier player, besieged by the media; sometimes it seemed that she didn't enjoy talking to us and her appearances were shadowed by the tantrums she threw.

Still, she was the same old Lorena with her fans: natural, kind, warm, honest, well, just unique. Kids were crazy about her and it was almost impossible for her to go anywhere unless she signed dozens of autographs; she put her sign on caps, balls, photos, posters and many items more, as she smiled and shyly said "gracias".

Lorena was tireless, she always fought for the first place in the leader board but little by little she started to lose it, which of course she didn't like. 
Besides, her priorities were changing fast; her family, which she had put behind for quite sometime, became the most important thing in her life, her marriage as well as her desire to do some more philanthropic work made her step away from competitive golf indefinitively.

Her decision is valid and respectable; what she did for golf, both in Mexico and in the world, exceeds any stumble, critic, tantrum or else. I never thought I would say this, because those who know me will assure I always expected a lot from her and that I was a harsh judge when talking about her game.

My last memory from Lorena? 

Well, it came on Saturday May 1st, 2010, she finished her 3rd round at the Tres Marías Championship, spoke with the media and after that she went by my side, made a pause and with that steady hand she has gave me 3 pats on the shoulder, she said hi and asked how I was. She had had her worst round of the tourney, still she took 1 minute to, somehow, acknowledge my job which has given me great satisfactions, awesome friends and very important media to publish for. Therefore, the only thing I can say is: 

THANK YOU, LORE!

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