Sports Commentary
EDINA, MN -- With her closest rival sidelined by a knee injury, Lorena Ochoa is undoubtedly the hottest golfer in the world.
Tiger Woods capped off an impressive start to the season with a brilliant victory at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines earlier this month. But Ochoa’s 2008 record is equally – if not more – impressive: six victories in 11 tournaments, with her lowest finish 12th.
She has already earned over $2 million in prize money alone, about $600,000 more than second-place Annika Sorenstam, and she is ranked first in rounds under par, rounds in the 60s, greens in regulation, putts, and she’s third in driving average (270.6 yards). After a poor start at the U.S. Women’s Open at Interlachen Country Club, Ochoa is still in the mix, at even par, thanks to birdies on three of her final five holes.
To the victor goes the spoils, right?
Not for Ochoa.
Despite her dominance on the course, Ochoa can’t seem to distance herself from her peers off the course.
Pinning down an athlete’s haul from endorsements and appearance fees is a near-impossible task (that information is often confidential). Yet numerous reports suggest that Ochoa may not be her tour’s top dog, a startling disconnect that is hard to comprehend.
“Lorena is a world-class athlete. She’s in the same category, in terms of competitiveness, with Tiger Woods, Mario Lemieux, and a Michael Jordan,” said Ed Kiernan, the chief marketing officer of Peter Jacobsen Sports, a company that works with companies such as Lexus and Red Bull. “You look at her year in 2008, and she should be gracing the cover of every lifestyle, sports and golf publication on the planet.
“Now, maybe that’s by choice,” he said. “Maybe she doesn’t want that type of recognition. Maybe that’s not her deal. It’s amazing that what she has accomplished, at such a young age, just hasn’t translated.”
There are a number of theories as to why Ochoa didn’t enjoy commercial success more quickly and more abundantly.
That she hails from Mexico, a country where golf is barely on the sporting landscape and hardly played by the masses. That she speaks with a thick accent, and her English is far from smooth. That she is represented by her brother and father, instead of a mega-agency. And that she is polite and sweet but lacks charisma and head-turning looks.
Sports Illustrated provided a telling anecdote about Ochoa.
SOUTHPORT, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 16: Matias Dominguez of Chile plays his third shot at the 18th hole during the final day of the 2008 Junior Open Championship held at Hesketh Golf Club, on July 16, 2008 in Southport, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
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SOUTHPORT, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 16: Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand shakes hands with her playing partners Jordan Speith of the USA and Steven Yam of Hoing Kong at the 18th hole during the final day of the 2008 Junior Open Championship held at Hesketh Golf Club, on July 16, 2008 in Southport, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
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SOUTHPORT, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 16: Jordan Spieth of the USA plays his second shot at the 18th hole during the final day of the 2008 Junior Open Championship held at Hesketh Golf Club, on July 16, 2008 in Southport, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
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SOUTHPORT, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 16: Robert De Biase of Venezuela plays his third shot at the 18th hole during the final day of the 2008 Junior Open Championship held at Hesketh Golf Club, on July 16, 2008 in Southport, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
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SOUTHPORT, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 16: Robert De Biase of Venezuela plays his second shot at the 18th hole during the final day of the 2008 Junior Open Championship held at Hesketh Golf Club, on July 16, 2008 in Southport, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
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SOUTHPORT, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 16: Andy Yang of Canada plays his third shot at the 18th hole during the final day of the 2008 Junior Open Championship held at Hesketh Golf Club, on July 16, 2008 in Southport, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
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Ernie Els of South Africa plays on the 10th tee during practice for the British Open Golf championship, at the Royal Birkdale golf course, Southport, England, Wednesday, July 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
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Brandt Snedeker of the United States plays from a bunker near the 5th green during practice for the British Open Golf championship, at the Royal Birkdale golf course, Southport, England, Wednesday, July 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
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Padraig Harrington of Ireland is seen on the 16th green during practice for the British Open Golf championship, at the Royal Birkdale golf course, Southport, England, Wednesday, July 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
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Padraig Harrington of Ireland, second from right, putts on the 5th green during practice for the British Open Golf championship, at the Royal Birkdale golf course, Southport, England, Wednesday, July 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
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In May, Ochoa was invited to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. True to her nature, Ochoa didn’t travel with an entourage, and she struggled to reach the Stock Exchange. At one point, she approached a guard, who didn’t recognize her face or name. Eventually, a staffer rescued her and escorted her inside.
Ochoa isn’t inclined to appear on Leno, and she doesn’t seem like someone who spends much time on red carpets and in VIP lounges. She isn’t one of the tour’s fashion icons (who can forget that hideous pink and green striped shirt she used to wear), and she doesn’t flash any bling.
LPGA veteran Christina Kim describes Ochoa as a cross between “Tiger Woods and Mother Teresa.” The Lorena Ochoa Foundation provides scholarships for 300-plus students in her hometown of Guadalajara, and she also subsidizes a school for at-risk youth in another town. Her one known vice: chocolate cake.
“The LPGA is very, very fortunate to have Lorena Ochoa as our No. 1 player, based on who she is as a player and who she is as a person,” said Bill Susetka, the LPGA’s chief marketing officer. “Lorena really stands for all of our values.”
Yet Ochoa’s domination of the LPGA tour started in 2006 and didn’t immediately draw endorsement deals. (Remarkably, she didn’t get a club contract until last June). Her list of endorsements is impressive (Audi, Banamex, CitiGroup, Rolex, Lacoste, Ping and Aeromexico), but she may still trail Michelle Wie, whose endorsement and appearance fee income – for at least one season – was reportedly over $20 million.
The grandest projection for Ochoa is half that amount.
Her brother, Alejandro Ochoa, insisted that isn’t a concern.
“She's not the kind of girl who's looking for options to be on TV or in magazine articles,” he told the SportsBusiness Journal. “She just wants to be the No. 1 player in the world.”
Earlier this year, Forbes published its “Celebrity 100.” Oprah was No. 1, followed by Woods, whose income for the last year was estimated to be $115 million. Despite her astounding 2007 season – one in which she won a record $4 million in prize money – Ochoa (No. 88) was behind Maria Sharapova (No. 61), Serena Williams (No. 69) and even Justine Henin (No. 81) among female athletes.
None of this seems to bother Ochoa.
She seems quite comfortable in her own skin, and she doesn’t seem swayed by the ways of others. While she could play at a high level for the foreseeable future, Ochoa, who is 26, has already suggested she may retire in a few years. She probably puts more stock in Time magazine naming her one of the 100 most influential people in the world, in part because of her prominence in Mexico and her extensive charity work there.
Susetka said that is why stands out about Ochoa; her willingness, at the peak of her career, to focus on her foundation.
“She’s clearly got passion, and she wants to be No. 1,” he said, “but the giving part is off the charts.
“That makes her phenomenal.”
If she does care to cash in more, though, Ochoa needs a primer on marketing.
Following her round on Thursday, Ochoa was asked if her commercial success was a priority. She suggested that endorsements comes with “good golf.”
"Winning tournaments, it helps a lot,” she said.
Yet Wie is winless, and inferior golfers like Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis are landing lucrative deals with major companies.
But you won’t hear any complaints from Ochoa.
“I’m pretty happy with what I have,” she said. “I have great support, from the beginning, starting in Mexico, and now it’s global.”
Asked if she’s been disappointed with the number of opportunities, she said, “We’re doing OK.
“It’s been good. I’m very thankful.”
Naturally, Ochoa’s focus shifted toward the end of her press conference.
As she talked about noticing the low scores on the leaderboard, Ochoa said, “I was just disappointed that it was not me.”
Sean Jensen can be reached at nothinbutlovefor@aol.com.
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