Ochoa’s Royal and Ancient Golf Club Honour

St Andrews, Scotland: Lorena Ochoa has accepted an invitation to become an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

Ochoa, a World Golf Hall of Fame member inducted in 2017, has been recognised for her outstanding playing career and contribution to the sport since her retirement.

Widely regarded as the greatest Mexican player of all time and one of the most talented players ever to grace the women’s professional game, Ochoa claimed two Major titles and 27 LPGA Tour victories in a decorated career.

She won her first Major championship in St Andrews in 2007 at the age of 25 by triumphing in what is now known as the AIG Women’s Open, the first time the Championship was held at the home of golf.

The Guadalajara-born player had recorded 11 top-10s in her previous 14 Major championship appearances, including two runner-up finishes, before breaking through at St Andrews. Ochoa opened with a 67 and led the Championship wire-to-wire from the ninth hole of her opening round to eventually win by four strokes.

Ochoa recorded 21 wins between 2006 and 2008, including a second Major title at The Chevron Championship in 2008. The former University of Arizona student held the world number one spot for just over three years consecutively from 2007 to 2010, an LPGA Tour record of 158 weeks. She was the first Mexican golfer of any gender to hold the number one ranking.

“It is a privilege to be made an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews,” said Ochoa, 44, who this week attended the Women’s Amateur Latin America championship at PGA Riviera Maya in Mexico in support of the region’s talent.

“St Andrews holds a special place in my heart after my victory there in 2007 and I am proud to now join an esteemed group of honorary members at a club which holds so much history and prestige. I loved my time playing at the top level and continue to enjoy promoting golf so more people can enjoy this wonderful sport.”  

Ochoa announced her retirement from the sport at the age of 28 in 2010 to focus on family and her new charity Foundation while still holding the world number one spot.

The Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation (FLO) aims to impart life lessons about education and family values. The Foundation helps 29 schools in 12 different states in Mexico and in 2024 a total of 13,000 children were assisted by offering them scholarships to provide each with a better future. 

Dennis Watson, Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said: “I would like to congratulate Lorena on becoming an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

“Lorena enjoyed a wonderful career, winning two Major championships and reaching world number one, and I’m sure her achievements on the course were an inspiration to many players. Lorena has since made great strides off the course through the work of her Foundation, encouraging more people into golf from different backgrounds.

“We welcome Lorena into our membership and look forward to seeing her in St Andrews in the future, a venue where she so famously won in 2007.”

Other Honorary Members of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews include Dame Laura Davies, Ernie Els, Sir Nick Faldo, Pádraig Harrington, Sandy Lyle, Catriona Matthew, Rory McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus, Renee Powell, Belle Robertson, Annika Sörenstam, Tom Watson, Karrie Webb and Tiger Woods.