Mayakoba, Quintana Roo, May 21, 2025 – She is one of the great attractions for the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba. After Lorena Ochoa, she is the most important Aztec player on the LPGA Tour today. She is Gabriela Lopez, a player from the capital who is currently ranked 55th in the women’s world rankings.

Mexican Olympian in Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2020 (she was flag bearer) and Paris 2024, Gaby participated four times in the Lorena Ochoa event between 2014 and 2017, so she already knows what it’s like to play at home, although this time is special, as it will be the first time at the El Camaleón Course in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo.

“Obviously, I am very excited for the start of this week. The first time I played an LPGA event was in Mexico, at Bosque Real, and Morelia in 2010. And then we played the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at my home course in Mexico City. Playing in Mexico is the biggest blessing. It’s a big responsibility to try to give back to the community and the girls here. I’m super excited to have the honor of sharing this stage, my food, my country, my community with all the LPGA girls.”

Gaby Lopez noted that since November she heard about the idea of the LPGA returning to Mexico. “I am very proud of the number of Mexicans who are participating in this event, pushing this dream to become a reality.  Mayakoba is one of the best resorts we have in the country and in the world, it is an incredible golf course. I think it will be a great preparation for next week’s US Open,” said the champion of three professional titles in her career, in which she has achieved 29 Top 10s.

Like most of the players present at the tournament, Gaby also pointed to Lorena Ochoa as the spearhead for this sport to have reached a high degree of importance and popularity in Mexico, and highlighted her personal relationship with the former world number one.

“Lorena is more than a mentor. She is a great friend of mine, she keeps in touch with me and all the girls in golf in Mexico. She is still the same person since the first day I met her, very humble. She is a real woman.  So I think we all have a responsibility to give her back all the inspiration we received from her.”

For the Mexican golfer who has participated in nine events this season, in which she has passed six cuts, with three Top 10s, this tournament will leave a great legacy, regardless of the years of contract she has.  “Having eight Mexicans in an LPGA tournament is a dream come true. The fact that we can have so many girls participating, not only as professionals, but also as amateurs, playing Pro-Am, eight Xuntas girls, now playing with the pros. The impact of this tournament is huge.

On her expectations for this week, she commented: “Well, not to put too much pressure on myself. I think accept the expectations of the media, the people, my family, everyone, but of course, I think the biggest gift for those who come to see me is that I enjoy it. It doesn’t matter if I play well or badly, I think that doesn’t matter, my career I have formed it in a very stable way, very nice, and have my present, that I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

Although for Mexican fans Gaby Lopez is the great favorite to take the title in the first LPGA event in Mexico in eight years, she prefers to put her feet on the ground.  “I hope I can lift the trophy, but I can’t focus all the time on that result,” concluded the 31-year-old player, nine of which she has spent as a professional player.