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INTERVIEW
Numero Uno
LORENA’S
GOLF TRAIL
Mexico’s second-largest city has
plenty of excellent golf facilities:
Guadalajara Country Club
Ochoa’s home turf is ranked as
one of the best private clubs in
Mexico. Non-members may play
at certain times.
El Cielo Country Club
Cielo means heaven in Spanish
and this new 6,763-yard tract, perched
500 metres above Guadalajara, lives
up to its moniker.
El Rio Country Club
Located about an hour from
Guadalajara, this challenging Jack
Nicklaus Signature course takes
maximum advantage of steep valleys
and canyons. After your round, head
to the nearby town of Tequila for a tour
and tasting of Mexico’s national tipple.
Anita Draycott catches up with a dynamic, yet humble,
27-year-old in her hometown of Guadalajara
Atlas Country Club
This semi-private gem is home to
the newest Ochoa Golf Academy by
Rafael Alarcón. Instruction is based
on Ochoa’s techniques and drills.
Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa has led the pack
in the Women’s World Golf Rankings
since April 2007. In a country where golf is
enjoyed primarily by the wealthy, she has
nevertheless achieved ‘rock star’ status
with her loyal fans from all echelons –
from politicians to taxi drivers. In 2001,
then president Vicente Fox presented her
with Mexico’s highest athletic accolade,
the National Sports Award.
How and when did you get involved in golf ?
I started when I was five years old thanks
to my dad. Our house was beside the
Guadalajara Country Club so it was easy
for me to play after school. I have always
been competitive so I started entering
tournaments when I was six.
You take your role as Mexico’s (and the
world’s) best female golfer seriously. Tell
me about the Lorena Ochoa Foundation
and Ochoa Golf Academy.
Mexico is very important to me and I feel
proud to represent my country. Being an
example for children in Mexico is a huge
responsibility. I would like to influence
kids to believe in themselves and their
dreams and for that reason I started my
Lorena Ochoa Foundation. The main
objective is to give underprivileged kids
an education at La Barranca elementary
school. We currently have 250 students
enrolled. I believe the more tournaments
I win, the more I can help these children.
The Ochoa Golf Academy by Rafael
Alarcón (who is my personal coach) is
a golf school where children and adults
can learn using my own techniques with
specially trained coaches. I would love
golf to become an important sport for
all Mexicans.
What are your favourite golf courses?
I like courses close to the ocean, such as
St. Andrews in Scotland and Mission
Hills in California. My favourite is the
Guadalajara Country Club, where I’ve
always played.
You’re very fit. Can you tell me a bit about
your physical and mental routines?
It’s important to take care of the physical
and mental parts equally, especially in
golf. Mentally I try to live a normal life
and take time to be with my family and
friends. For me, God is very important
because he’s my spiritual leader. I try to
give 100 percent every day and to stay
focused and calm. I live day-by-day and
don’t dwell on the negative. Yoga and
running help me manage my stress
levels and find inner peace. In the offseason
my routine is intense. I play golf
for six hours a day and then work out
at the gym.
You’ve mentioned before that you don’t plan
on playing into your forties. What do you
see yourself doing if you indeed retire early?
Well, you never know, but if I weren’t
playing golf I’d be devoting my time to
my Foundation, and of course to having
a family.
SHORT SHOTS
Favourite food? Mexican chilaquiles,
a nice steak, sushi.
Person(s) (dead or alive) you most admire?
My parents.
One regret? One shouldn’t regret things
but instead learn from them.
Favourite place? Our house in the woods
at Tapalpa.
Indulgence or weakness? Chocolate.
Your dream foursome (including you)?
Tiger (Woods), Annika (Sörenstam),
Jack (Nicklaus) and me. nV
64 ENSEMBLE VACATIONS FALL 2009