Tym Glaser

JUST QUIETLY, there's a young woman on the sporting landscape who is carving out a career for the ages.

While the world swoons to the swings of Tiger Woods and Roger Federer and the other-worldly skills of Kobe Bryant and Cristiano Ronaldo, nuggety Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa has moved so far beyond her fellow competitors on the Ladies Professional Golf Tour (LPGA) that she's in a stratosphere of her own.

The 26-year-old from Guadalajara has won five of the six events she has competed in this year, solidifying the world No. 1 ranking she assumed from the great Annika Sorenstam last April.

She became the first woman to pocket more than US$4 million in a year (2007) and has a running streak of two majors - the British Open and the Kraft Nabisco Championship - and no one is doubting her own Tiger Slam as well as a calendar year Grand Slam are well within reach.

'Sexy' sport

Women's golf is not a particularly 'sexy' sport to watch and that probably explains her relative anonymity but she's not playing against a squadron of Sunday hackers and soccer moms.

The most successful woman golfer of all-time, Sorenstam, with her 71 LPGA victories and 10 major titles, is still a potent force along with the likes of a rejuvenated Karrie Webb (45 LPGA wins and seven majors), American favourites Cristie Kerr, Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer and a host of budding Asian talents led by the likes of Yani Tseng, Hee-Won Han and Na-Yeon Choi.

Her near invincibility this season is underlined by her scoring average per round of 67.87 which is almost two strokes better than her nearest rival, Sorenstam (69.62). That, folks, is almost eight shots per event!

More dominant

Throw in the fact that she leads the Tour in greens in regulation and driving, is fourth in putting and has shot 22 of her 23 rounds this year under par and we are looking at Tiger in a dress, but maybe even more dominant.

Despite the lower profile of the LPGA when compared with its male cousin, the PGA, Ochoa still made this year's Time 100 list, the magazine's roster of the 100 most influential people in the WORLD.

Quite an accolade for someone most people outside of Mexico and the women's golf circuit have never heard of.

So, do yourself a favour some weekend while you are riding your remote between cricket, football, basketball, NASCAR and baseball games and taking in all the stars they have to offer; take a stop at the LPGA for a gander at Ochoa, she just may be the best of the best.

Later!

Feedback: tym.glaser@gleanerjm.com