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Ochoa finds support wherever she goes, and for good reason.
She is as humble as any player who has risen to No. 1, stopping during her practice round Tuesday to pose with Mexican maintenance workers for pictures. She is inspired to see the Mexican flag waving in the gallery, a common occurrence in California. She cried while watching Angel Cabrera of Argentina win the U.S. Open at Oakmont.
She has become one of the biggest stars, even if she doesn’t act like one.
A month ago at the Ginn Tribute in South Carolina, the founding members of the LPGA Tour were honored at a dinner, and some asked Ochoa for her autograph. She obliged, then realized it should have been the other way around.
“My autograph doesn’t mean anything,” she said. “I went back and got all of their autographs. The first thing I was taught was to respect the players, especially the players who have been here for a long time. They have their place. For me, forget my place. Just watch and respect.”
For someone supposedly under enormous pressure, Ochoa looks as though she’s having the time of her life. She hardly spoke English when she arrived at the University of Arizona seven years ago and still takes pride in learning new words each day.
Her cousin, who lives in San Diego, taught her to say “delightful” instead of “good” when anyone asked her about her day. When she sat before a room of reporters Tuesday, the cousin offered the first question.
“How was your day today?” he said.
Ochoa stared at him, then started laughing.
“I forgot the word,” she said, half-embarrassed. “Delightful.”
What word would she use for winning a major? Ochoa thought about this on the practice green Wednesday, and offered one in Spanish.
“Maravilloso,” she said with a smile, and that needed no translation.
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