Ochoa’s swift stint feels like birdie blitz

MANILA, Philippines - She possesses the graciousness of a lady and the attitude of a true champion.

Lorena Ochoa, the former world’s top female golfer on the US LPGA Tour, patiently signed autographs for more than a hundred students of Everest Golf Academy in Taguig yesterday morning then proceeded to the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club where she did the ceremonial tee-off for the Everest Academy Golf Cup which was a sold-out event with around 133 golfers in attendance.

She was joined by Mexican Ambassador to the Philippines Julio Camalena during the ceremonial tee off.

The Everest Academy, the only international Catholic school in the Philippines, is a school organized and managed by the Legionaries of Christ which started in Mexico and has a number of schools worldwide, only one of which is in Asia.

At Wack Wack, after her ceremonial tee off, she proceeded to the par-3, 132-yard (from the blue tee) No. 14, using a Ping 7 iron and whoever is closer to the pin than her gets a prize. Nobody did. She then patiently went to each tee mound to allow the golfers to have pictures taken with her and to sign autographs of the star-struck participants.

Ochoa, who reigned as No. 1 for 157 weeks until she retired in 2010, arrived early Saturday and shared two days of her expertise on the range and course of The Country Club with the ICTSI girls’ pro and amateur teams. She leaves today.

The ICTSI members are Princess Superal, gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, Junior World champion Pauline del Rosario, Abby Arevalo, Sofia Chabon, Mika Fortuna, Sam Green, Sam Martirez and Bernice Ilas.

Ochoa retired from the LPGA in 2010 and has since devoted her time to her husband and two kids.

Through the Lorena Ochoa Foundation, she opened three schools for elementary children in Mexico. She was named 2007 Women’s Sports Foundation Individual Sportswoman of the Year, recognized as one of Newsweek magazine’s 11 Most Powerful Women in 2007 and one of Glamour magazine’s 2007 Women of the Year.

In 2008, Ochoa was selected as TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, named one of Fitness magazine’s Fit 50 and won her third consecutive recognition as the GWAA Female Player of the Year.

Ochoa, then 28, announced in 2010 that she was stepping away from competitive golf, ending her reign as the LPGA’s top player.

She now runs her foundation dedicated to education and sports to improve the lives of marginalized children in Mexico.