It’s a bit romantic to retire in your prime and at the peak. Leaving behind nothing but good memories. But when Lorena Ochoa announced her retirement at the tender age of 28, it was downright shocking. The surprise has faded now, but her birthday is the perfect time to revisit her legacy.

In Ochoa’s case, golf took over her life at the age of 5. After multiple junior titles, in the fall of 2001, 20-year-old Ochoa became the youngest and the first golfer to earn Mexico’s highest sporting recognition, the National Sports Award.

Ochoa joined the LPGA in 2003, won her first tournament in 2004, becoming the first Mexican-born champion on the LPGA. Three years later, she won her first major at the AIG Women’s Open en route to becoming the first player in the Tour’s history to cross $3M earnings in a single season. She also became the World No. 1 the same year.

In 2008, Ochoa landed her second major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Respecting the tradition, she jumped into the famed pond. So did her parents and sister-in-law. And two dozen friends. The Mariachi band provided the perfect background music for the Mexican saga unfolding in Mission Hills. Watch the unique celebration in this rare footage.

Ochoa was poised for even bigger glory. But she grew discontent with golf. So much money and fame could hardly make up for the little time she could afford her family. After 158 weeks as the World No. 1 and 27 LPGA titles later, Ochoa announced her retirement in 2010.

She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017 and the LPGA Hall of Fame in 2022. Ochoa, now a mother of three kids, divides her time between family and philanthropy. Not just golf, Ochoa’s foundation also promotes education. Any lingering regrets? Well, asked about it, this is what she said in 2014: "I wouldn't change this for anything.”

Hard to argue against that.

Missed Friday’s big news? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are the top three stories you need to know about.

Chase: Nicolai Hojgaard fired a 65 on Friday to claim the 36-hole lead at the DP World Tour Championship. If he can hold on to his lead, Hojgaard would become only the fourth player since 2015 to win twice or more in Dubai. But Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, and others are breathing down his neck. Meanwhile, with Marco Penge way back (T42), only Tyrrell Hatton (T11) has a slim chance to topple Rory’s bid for a seventh Harry Vardon Trophy. But it looks unlikely given Rory’s form. Heck, he was crushing it even while swinging the world’s SMALLEST driver, as you can see below.

Loaded: Linn Grant shares the top spot with Grace Kim at The Annika, sitting three shots clear of Nelly Korda and Carlota Ciganda. Korda’s sizzling 63 on Friday kept her right in contention — just watch the putt that earned her praise from the GOAT himself! Meanwhile, Hannah Green and Brooke Henderson are still in the top 15, whereas Lilia Vu, Megan Khang, and Kai Trump missed the cut. But hey, the leaderboard is packed with big guns.

Sidelined: Aside from a melanoma scare back in 2019, Justin Thomas has been mostly in good shape. But on Friday, he announced he’ll miss the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season after a successful microdiscectomy. Ipso facto, JT will have to rework his game right after finding his mojo back this season (one title, eight top-10s). Check out the tournaments he will miss (including two important ones) here.

Many middle-handicappers struggle to hit a draw because they misunderstand clubface control and swing path. Not pros like Phil Mickelson. Lefty is a master of hitting perfect draws like this one right here, and this is how you can too.

• Tuck your lead arm close to your body and bend it slightly. It allows the clubface to release naturally.

• Use your rear arm to rotate over, similar to creating topspin in table tennis. That softens the face rotation for a smooth draw. Notice closely how Mickelson is using his rear arm in this tutorial.

• Mickelson also uses ‘Pelz Draw’ — place the ball back in your stance, shorten the backswing, and swing around your body. This is perfect for a low-spin wedge shot.

Now, don’t overdo these steps, and you'll be closer to shaping your shots with far more control. Once you are comfortable with this, try the other tips we’ve listed below.

We love a viral golf video. When pro golf season slows down (or the play itself), these gems help pay the bills. Just kidding, but we do have this week’s wildest golf highlight: a dog playing golf. No, we’re not talking about dogs running away with golf balls. This time, it’s a dog actually sinking a putt. And nailing it. Don’t believe it? Check out this clip of Brewski casually rolling in a putt on a random day.

It’s tough to trust videos these days. Blame AI. But if a dog’s putting better than your buddies, chances are it’s a real deal. Don’t just take our word for it — watch Brewski nail another smooth putt, this time on a real golf course.