"I like to pay them back a little bit and go talk to them, " said Ochoa. "I like to thank them for all their hard work."

When she cruised to victory in the British Open at St Andrew's last weekend, the only pity was Ochoa's first major came so far from her most devoted followers. The ones she likes to talk about her love of Atlas soccer club with over the sweating stoves, the ones who pop up in galleries all over these courses, waving little red, white and green flags of their homeland and willing her on. With an estimated 20 million Mexicans living in America, she has an individual support base like no other player on the women's tour.

Not to mention iconic status from her willingness to mix with those often seen but never supposed to be heard at most of this country's golf clubs.

"I'm very proud to be Mexican, " said Ochoa. "We're all learning. Everything is new for everybody. Before it was just soccer, soccer, and soccer, and now it's something new. They recognise me over there. It's very nice to go home and feel warm and the support. I have fans in the United States. The workers on the golf course and people on the outside, it's very nice to see them. They know about me and they come and support me. That makes a big difference."

That somebody from Guadalajara has dethroned Annika Sorenstam as world number one is remarkable in itself. With a population of just over 100 million, Mexico has just 200 golf courses. All of them are private. The game's curious standing in the country can be perhaps best summed up by the fact the first Mexican journalist detailed to go and watch her play for the University of Arizona reportedly asked his editor: "What's golf?" Over the past seven years, through a stellar collegiate career and a swift climb through the professional ranks, Ochoa has given the country a crash course in the sport.

"In Mexico, the masses don't even know what golf is, " said Rafael Alarcon, a former US Tour player who is now her coach. "But if you ask any taxi driver in Mexico City, he'll know who Lorena Ochoa is."

The daughter of a real estate executive father and an artist mother, Ochoa was privileged enough to be introduced to golf as a six-year-old at the Guadalajara Country Club. At 14, she told Alarcon of her intention to one day emulate Sorenstam. By the time she reached 24, she'd made good on that promise even if her failure to land a major up to last week had left a gaping hole on her otherwise impressive CV of 12 tournament wins.

"There were a lot of people saying that I wasn't good enough or that I couldn't win a major or when am I going to win a major, " said Ochoa at St Andrews.

"I did it, and there's no more to say. I love St Andrews. Twenty-four majors and finally I have this here, and I think it's for a reason. I couldn't be more happy."

What truly separates her from so many of her peers is that long before she ascended the rankings or lifted the major monkey off her back, Ochoa began using her position to do good beyond the fairways and greens.

Determined that other Mexican girls and boys might get the opportunities she did, she's already opened golf academies bearing her name in Guadalajara and Mexico City.

The expressed aim is to bring the game to those who could not ordinarily afford it either through her own teaching facilities or via efforts to persuade the government to build more.

"My goal is to make the sport more popular in my country and to make it so that everyone can play, " said Ochoa.

"It should be like in the United States, where you can pay a few dollars and hit some balls."

The day when it's accessible to all may be a long way off yet but her philanthropy doesn't begin or end with golf.

In a country where less than a third of children graduate from primary school, the Lorena Ochoa Foundation has awarded scholarships to over 300 kids in her hometown. She eventually hopes to build state of the art schools in poorer areas that will help not only the youngsters but also afford adults a second chance at education. Against this background, it's easy to believe her when she tells reporters that a decade on the Tour might be enough before she retires.

"I know I am now in a position of influence, " said Ochoa. "It is a responsibility I take very seriously. The game has given me so much. I have a lot of giving back to do."