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MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Lorena Ochoa announced her retirement on Tuesday after three years as the world's top-ranked women's golfer.
The 28-year-old Ochoa confirmed her decision in a short statement, saying she will hold a press conference on Friday to explain her decision.
"Lorena Ochoa confirms her retirement from the LPGA, as news reports in some media have said today," her statement said.
"The reasons and more details on the matter will be given by Lorena personally in a press conference on Friday in Mexico City. Lorena will share this news of a new stage in her life with her sponsors, family members and friends."
The newspaper Reforma said on Tuesday that Ochoa was retiring to concentrate on her family and charities.
Ochoa was married in December to Andres Conesa, the CEO of Aeromexico airline. He has three children from a previous marriage.
She was set to play next week in the Tres Marias Championship in Morelia, west of Mexico City. It was not clear if she will play there or if this month's Kraft Nabisco Championship in California, where she finished fourth in the year's first major, was her finale.
Ochoa was following the path of former No. 1, Annika Sorenstam, who was married last year just weeks after ending her career. She gave birth to a baby girl in September. Ochoa has also talked openly about wanting to have children of her own.
Last year she began traveling more, playing less, and had more off-course obligations, which include her charity foundation.
"Personally, it's more important the things that I do outside the golf course," Ochoa said last year before a tournament she hosts in her hometown of Guadalajara. "And that's been my main focus right now."
Sorenstam was a commanding player, and Ochoa was expected to take over the mantle. Sorenstam's departure probably increased the pressure on Ochoa, who won two majors among her 27 victories on the LPGA Tour but didn't quite pull the crowds the way Sorenstam did.
The retirement was a blow to the LPGA, which was struggling in a tough economy and has seen its number of tournaments decline in recent years.
The 28-year-old Ochoa confirmed her decision in a short statement, saying she will hold a press conference on Friday to explain her decision.
"Lorena Ochoa confirms her retirement from the LPGA, as news reports in some media have said today," her statement said.
"The reasons and more details on the matter will be given by Lorena personally in a press conference on Friday in Mexico City. Lorena will share this news of a new stage in her life with her sponsors, family members and friends."
The newspaper Reforma said on Tuesday that Ochoa was retiring to concentrate on her family and charities.
Ochoa was married in December to Andres Conesa, the CEO of Aeromexico airline. He has three children from a previous marriage.
She was set to play next week in the Tres Marias Championship in Morelia, west of Mexico City. It was not clear if she will play there or if this month's Kraft Nabisco Championship in California, where she finished fourth in the year's first major, was her finale.
Ochoa was following the path of former No. 1, Annika Sorenstam, who was married last year just weeks after ending her career. She gave birth to a baby girl in September. Ochoa has also talked openly about wanting to have children of her own.
Last year she began traveling more, playing less, and had more off-course obligations, which include her charity foundation.
"Personally, it's more important the things that I do outside the golf course," Ochoa said last year before a tournament she hosts in her hometown of Guadalajara. "And that's been my main focus right now."
Sorenstam was a commanding player, and Ochoa was expected to take over the mantle. Sorenstam's departure probably increased the pressure on Ochoa, who won two majors among her 27 victories on the LPGA Tour but didn't quite pull the crowds the way Sorenstam did.
The retirement was a blow to the LPGA, which was struggling in a tough economy and has seen its number of tournaments decline in recent years.