The pressure of being local, a challenge that Lorena Ochoa helps to overcome
Imagine playing at home, with all your people supporting you. Sounds amazing, right? But for the nine Mexican golfers who will compete this week at the LPGA Riviera Maya Open, that advantage can become a double-edged sword. The pressure of being the crowd’s favorite can outweigh the swing. For this reason, the legendary Lorena Ochoa did not hesitate to speak with each of them to leave them a clear message: enjoy, relax and show your best version.
“I am very in touch with all of them, they know that I am a friend more than anything, they have my phone number and they look for me all the time, but it is also important that it is a week that is not so complicated for them, that they do not have the pressure of being local, that they try to learn to separate and play relaxed, but I will always cheer them on,” confessed Ochoa at the opening of the tournament, which for the second consecutive year will be played at El Camaleón de Mayakoba.
More than a tournament, a golden opportunity
Ochoa, former world number one, knows well what it means to make the leap. She lived that process herself, first walking with men and then finding her place in the LPGA. Therefore, he sees this event as a platform that can transform careers.
“The most important thing is the opportunity for Mexican women, that they are happy to live what they have dreamed of all their lives, I first walked with men and then when I played with the LPGA it changed my life, for them it is a super opportunity, it is going to boost their career a lot,” he declared.
A day of celebration and nostalgia
The excitement of having the best women’s golf circuit in Mexico is contagious. Ochoa does not hide her joy, although she also feels that tingle of memories.
“It’s a great thing to have the best in the world at home, it’s a day of celebration, to remember good times because I get nostalgic about returning to a field and my skin crawls.”
So you know, this week at Mayakoba we won’t just see birdies and putts. We will see nine warriors learning to handle pressure, with the advice of a legend in their ear. Sport, in the end, is that: resilience, enjoyment and giving your best when it matters most. Let’s cheer on ours!
