Lorena Ochoa has joined one of the most exclusive groups in golf, becoming an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews alongside legends such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Rory McIlroy.
The former World No.1 and two-time major champion officially accepted her invitation today, adding her name to a distinguished list that also includes the likes of Ernie Els, Sir Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam and Dame Laura Davies.
Ochoa, inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017, has been honoured for both her exceptional playing career and her wider impact on the sport following her retirement.
Widely regarded as the greatest Mexican golfer of all time, she amassed 27 LPGA titles, including two majors, during a dominant spell on tour.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews announces Lorena Ochoa as Honorary Member 💙
Ochoa, a World Golf Hall of Fame member inducted in 2017, has been recognised for her outstanding playing career and contribution to the sport since her retirement.
More here 👉… pic.twitter.com/hJth1OMy01
— The R&A (@RandA) November 20, 2025
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Her first major triumph came at the Home of Golf itself.
In 2007, aged just 25, Ochoa won what is now the AIG Women’s Open on the Old Course at St Andrews—the first time the championship had been staged there.
She arrived with 11 top-10 finishes from her previous 14 majors, including two runner-up results, and delivered a commanding performance from the outset.
After opening with a 67, she led from the 9th hole of her first round all the way to the finish, sealing victory by four shots.
Between 2006 and 2008, Ochoa produced one of the most dominant stretches in LPGA history, collecting 21 titles and securing her second major at The Chevron Championship in 2008.
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She held the World No.1 ranking for an LPGA-record 158 consecutive weeks from 2007 to 2010—the first Mexican golfer of any gender to reach the top of the sport.
“It is a privilege to be made an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews,” said Ochoa, 44, who this week attended the Women’s Amateur Latin America championship at PGA Riviera Maya in Mexico in support of the region’s talent.
“St Andrews holds a special place in my heart after my victory there in 2007 and I am proud to now join an esteemed group of honorary members at a Club which holds so much history and prestige.
“I loved my time playing at the top level and continue to enjoy promoting golf so more people can enjoy this wonderful sport.”
Ochoa with Mexican players (Credit: R&A)
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Ochoa stepped away from professional golf in 2010 at just 28—still holding the World No.1 position—to devote more time to her family and the Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation (FLO).
The Foundation focuses on education and family values, supporting 29 schools across 12 Mexican states.
In 2024 alone, it helped 13,000 children through scholarship programmes designed to expand educational opportunities.
Dennis Watson, Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said: “I would like to congratulate Lorena on becoming an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
“Lorena enjoyed a wonderful career, winning two major championships and reaching world number one, and I’m sure her achievements on the course were an inspiration to many players. Lorena has since made great strides off the course through the work of her Foundation, encouraging more people into golf from different backgrounds.
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“We welcome Lorena into our membership and look forward to seeing her in St Andrews in the future, a venue where she so famously won in 2007.”
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