World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa to retire

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., April 20 (UPI) -- Lorena Ochoa, the world No. 1-ranked women's golfer, plans to announce her retirement Friday from competitive golf, the LPGA said.

The LPGA, in a short announcement Tuesday on its Web site, said it has confirmed with Ochoa's management company the 28-year-old golfer would say at a scheduled news conference Friday she is stepping away from the sport.

The association said Ochoa would give her reasons and timing for the move at a news conference in Mexico City. She is scheduled to be in the field for the LPGA's Tres Marias Championship in Morelia, Mexico, next week.

Ochoa owns 27 LPGA titles, with 21 coming in the three-year span from 2006 to 2008. She won three times on tour last year and collected her fourth consecutive LPGA player of the year award. She has been the top-rated women's golfer in the world since April 23, 2007.