Women's world number one Lorena Ochoa has announced her retirement from golf.
The 28-year-old Mexican, who won two majors, has dominated the sport for the last three years since usurping Annika Sorenstam as world number one.
Ochoa will hold a news conference to explain her decision on Friday but she is thought be set to start a family.
"Lorena Ochoa has confirmed her retirement from the LPGA, as some media reported today [Tuesday]," said a statement on her official website.
"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 married father-of-three Andres Conesa, the chief executive of Mexican airline Aeromexico, in her home city of Guadalajara in December 2009.
I must admit that I was surprised, but not shocked, when I heard the news that Lorena is going to retire
Annika Sorenstam
Ochoa won two majors - the Women's British Open in 2007 and Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2008 - and has recorded 27 victories in eight seasons on the LPGA Tour.
Ochoa, who has missed the cut only four times in 172 LPGA events, finished fourth earlier this month in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, this year's first women's golf major. She has finished outside the top 10 in three other LPGA starts in 2010.
Last season, Ochoa edged South Korea Jiyai Shin to claim her fourth consecutive LPGA Player of the Year award. She won three tournaments in 2010 after collecting seven titles in 2008, eight in 2007 and six in 2006.
606: DEBATE
Another big loss to the women's game
Wayne Fountain
She was set to play next week in the LPGA Tour's Tres Marias tournament in Morelia, west of Mexico City.
Ochoa overhauled Sorenstam as the leading women's player in April 2007, the first time the Swede had been headed since the official rankings were introduced in February 2006.
Sorenstam, who retired at the age of 38 in December 2008, dominated the women's game for over a decade, winning 90 tournaments, including 10 majors, and was player of the year eight times.
"I must admit that I was surprised, but not shocked, when I heard the news that Lorena is going to retire," Sorenstam said on her blog.
"She has always said she would play for maybe 10 years and then leave the game to start a family. She just got married and obviously feels that she is ready for that next chapter in her life."
The 28-year-old Mexican, who won two majors, has dominated the sport for the last three years since usurping Annika Sorenstam as world number one.
Ochoa will hold a news conference to explain her decision on Friday but she is thought be set to start a family.
"Lorena Ochoa has confirmed her retirement from the LPGA, as some media reported today [Tuesday]," said a statement on her official website.
"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 married father-of-three Andres Conesa, the chief executive of Mexican airline Aeromexico, in her home city of Guadalajara in December 2009.
I must admit that I was surprised, but not shocked, when I heard the news that Lorena is going to retire
Annika Sorenstam
Ochoa won two majors - the Women's British Open in 2007 and Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2008 - and has recorded 27 victories in eight seasons on the LPGA Tour.
Ochoa, who has missed the cut only four times in 172 LPGA events, finished fourth earlier this month in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, this year's first women's golf major. She has finished outside the top 10 in three other LPGA starts in 2010.
Last season, Ochoa edged South Korea Jiyai Shin to claim her fourth consecutive LPGA Player of the Year award. She won three tournaments in 2010 after collecting seven titles in 2008, eight in 2007 and six in 2006.
606: DEBATE
Another big loss to the women's game
Wayne Fountain
She was set to play next week in the LPGA Tour's Tres Marias tournament in Morelia, west of Mexico City.
Ochoa overhauled Sorenstam as the leading women's player in April 2007, the first time the Swede had been headed since the official rankings were introduced in February 2006.
Sorenstam, who retired at the age of 38 in December 2008, dominated the women's game for over a decade, winning 90 tournaments, including 10 majors, and was player of the year eight times.
"I must admit that I was surprised, but not shocked, when I heard the news that Lorena is going to retire," Sorenstam said on her blog.
"She has always said she would play for maybe 10 years and then leave the game to start a family. She just got married and obviously feels that she is ready for that next chapter in her life."
