The big news in the golf world this afternoon came from the LPGA. Number one women’s player Lorena Ochoa has announced that she is retiring from professional golf. Ochoa will hold a press conference on Friday where she will likely talk about her reasons for retirement, as well as the timetable (will it be immediate, at season’s end, or some other time?).
Ochoa’s announcement didn’t come as a huge surprise to this writer, at least; she’d been candid for some time about potentially retiring early to focus on family life. I wouldn’t have been very surprised if she’d announced at the end of last season that she was stepping away for a while, especially in light of her marriage at the end of 2009. I was surprised by the timing–April, during the LPGA season. I suspect this will mean that her actual retirement date will fall within the 2010 season (some reports say it will be effective immediately, but no date has been confirmed yet).
I applaud Ochoa for focusing on her own priorities, despite the pressure she might face (and will undoubtedly face after today’s announcement) to keep playing as long as she’s on top. This is ultimately her decision to make, and only she can decide what is best for her life. I wish her and her family all the best as they go forward into whatever new challenges life has for them.
Of course, I join many out there in saying that it’s hopefully just “hasta luego, Lorena”, and not a permanent “adios”...
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