She doesn’t make many appearances. Not that Lorena Ochoa has become a recluse since retiring from competitive golf or has transformed into something other than the same thoughtful and kind player who won 27 LPGA tournaments, including two majors, while winning the hearts and minds of almost all who got to know her. But she has a family to raise with her husband, a foundation to run, and a home to tend to along with a hundred other activities in her native Mexico. So, the fact that the 37-year-old took the time to talk about a young LPGA rookie she mentored says a lot about what Ochoa and the world expect out of Maria Fassi.
“I saw Maria when she was 14 or 15 years old,” Ochoa said. “So, I knew her right away. In fact, I went to her hometown in Pachuca to see her and talk to her. I was really impressed. From the beginning, she was solid, a solid player and a solid person. When I asked her what she wanted to do, she said she wanted to go to the States, get a scholarship and become a professional. She seemed very secure in herself.
“As t...
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