Muchas Gracias

Hard to believe that we are coming up to the year anniversary of the mighty mite from Mexico, Lorena Ochoa, retiring from competitive golf on the LPGA.
She had so much going for her as she reached so many milestones at an early age. Lorena was #1 in the world for 3 years and finished with 27 LPGA
victories, two of which were majors. Those gaudy numbers qualified her for the LPGA Hall of Fame once she completed 10 years on the LPGA tour in 2012.

Yet Lorena had found another side of life that had a greater calling than the tour. In 2009 she married Andres Conesa and immediately fell into the roll as step mother, a roll that she enjoyed far better than the grind of the tour or the allure of the Hall of Fame.

While she is no longer prowling the fairways of the tour she has hardly been retired from the world of golf as her philanthropic activities are keeping her busy. She is the queen of humanitarian efforts as her foundations reach out to children, especially the Latino community.

She has recently announced a program called the Lorena Ochoa Neighborhood Golf. It has been described as a version of a backyard bounce house seen at a youngsters birthday party except it has a tent, golf clubs and limited flight golf balls. Because of the mobility of this country fair like game, Lorena is striving to introduce the game of golf to American minorities throughout the country. This is all in an effort to bust the myth that golf is a rich, white persons game. Seriously, in 2011 we are still battling this stigma? Sometimes I think we have not evolved at all.

I have not had the honor of meeting Lorena. Everything I hear is nothing but glowing. She may only meet you once and yet at the next meeting she will remember every detail about the first. A rare talent indeed and shows her deep connection to the world and to making a difference with mankind.

In the world of professional athletes whining about how are they going to feed their families with only a 5 million dollar contract, it is refreshing to know that one Hall of Fame Athlete has chosen to follow her heart and make a difference. A difference that will touch future generations of golfers, the golf industry and perhaps even the evolution of mankind where people are seen for the good that they do and not the color of their skin.

Keep Swinging,

Jane

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