Teenage phenomenon Lydia Ko will return to defend her first professional golf title, the Women’s NSW Open, in January hoping for similar inspiration.
The world No.1 ranked amateur, New Zealander Ko made worldwide headlines at the tournament earlier this year when she became the youngest player, female or male, to win a professional tournament at age 14.
It was the catalyst for a season which showed Ko to be a superstar in the making.
She was the leading amateur at the US Women’s Open in July and won the US Women’s Amateur in August.
She then grabbed more attention when she won the US LPGA Tour’s Canadian Open two weeks later – the youngest ever LPGA winner – beating a field including 49 of the top 50 players in the world.
Ko said that despite recently settling back into normal life as a 15-year-old student after months competing in big events around the world, she “would love to play the New South Wales Open again” and was grateful for the invitation to return to Oatlands GC in Sydney for the January 25-27 tournament.
“I am very happy to come back and play at Oatlands again,” said Ko.
“I have such good memories.”
Also in the field will be Australia’s current hottest player Stacey Keating, a recent two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, and 2008 champion Laura Davies who’ll be back for a sixth-straight year.
Ko showed her usual coolness and poise when asked if returning as the defending champion would change her approach.
“I don’t think so. I feel pressure in every tournament like other players, but I try to think positive aspects or I sometimes forget that I am playing a professional tournament,” she said.
“All the tournaments are the same to me.”