Two-hour phone call with Lorena Ochoa helps Maria Fassi climb into contention at Marathon

SYLVANIA, Ohio – Maria Fassi talked to Lorena Ochoa for two hours on Thursday night. They’d been texting back and forth for days, and Fassi’s mom suggested they do it the old-fashioned way. Ochoa’s longtime coach, Rafael Alarcon was on the call, too, and started off by asking Fassi how she was thinking and feeling on the golf course.

Ochoa listened, and then she didn’t mince words.

“She’s tough,” said Fassi, smiling. “She’s like ‘I don’t care. You have to reset. I don’t care how good you were as amateur, you’ve got to start all over again.’”

Fassi took everything the 27-time tour winner and World Golf Hall of Famer said to heart. She fired a 66 on Day 2 of the Marathon LPGA Classic and sits in fourth place, four strokes behind leader Lydia Ko.

The former Arkansas star told Ochoa that when she missed a putt, she’d been struggling to trust herself over the next one. Talk positively to yourself, Ochoa told her, really try digging into yourself to see what’s going on.

“I was definitely a lot more … aware of what was going on inside of me than I’ve ever been,” said Fassi, “In a way that helped me just forget about everything else and really focus on myself and my game.”

After waiting 166 days for the LPGA to restart its 2020 season, Fassi opened with a disappointing 79 at the LPGA Drive On Championship and followed it with a 77 to miss the cut.

“I got hit hard in the head last week,” said Fassi.

Tough love from a Mexican icon this week might yield Fassi’s best finish yet.