( CNN ) -- The world 's best female golfer , Lorena Ochoa of Mexico , has exclusively revealed to CNN that a meeting with Tiger Woods in her youth inspired her to become the player she is today . Tiger Woods and Lorena Ochoa pose at the Golf Writer 's Association of America Awards in 2007 . The pair first met at Tory Pines when both competing in the Junior World Championships , an event that Woods won a record six times and Ochoa has won five . The two then met again 15 years later at the Golf Writer 's Association of America Awards where both were named players of the year . Ochoa , 27 , told CNN 's Living Golf program the meeting had a big impact on her : `` You do n't realize the importance of things until you 're older and look back . I 'm just glad it worked out the way it did for us . `` He was boy and I was a girl , we were both young and we did n't know what we were doing . I did n't see him for another 15 years , but I reminded him and showed him the pictures and he was like `` wow '' . '' Ochoa , who started playing golf aged just five-years-old , has now won 26 LPGA Tour titles but said despite the success it has been harder to sustain her number one spot than it was to attain it . `` It 's harder to stay number one than getting there - if you get distracted or stop practicing you can very easily lose your position . Ochoa overtook Annika Sörenstam to become the world number one ranked golfer in 2007 and since has won two majors , including the Women 's British Open and the Kraft Nabisco Championship . The Mexican also picked up the Honda LPGA Thailand recently but says her drive to win more remains the same : `` My life has changed a lot . I 've been preparing myself to get to that position so it did n't take me by surprise . It took me five years from turning professional to becoming the number on in the world . It 's not easy but it 's been a lot of fun and I want to stay here . '' The next major championship for Ochoa to set her sights on will be the McDonald 's LPGA Championship on June 11-14 .
Lorena García and Tiger Woods first met at the 2005 World Championships . Ochoa has won five LPGA titles since turning professional . The Mexican is playing the game at five .