Ko Confident Despite Winless Year

Believe it or not, it has been a year since Lydia Ko last won a tournament on the LPGA Tour. In fact, the last time Ko finished at the top of the leaderboard was at the Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I last season.

Ko held strong in a three-way playoff against Mirim Lee and Ariya Jutanugarn last year. Ko birdied the fourth extra hole to claim victory in what was the tournament’s longest playoff.

However, the world No. 4 is confident her game is heading in the right direction and where better to pick up her first win than at a tournament she has won twice and finished in the top-7 on her other two appearances?

The strength of the LPGA Tour this season has made this challenge even more difficult for Ko, with 18 different winners in 19 events proving the depth of quality players on show.

Ko said: “I don't feel like it's been a year since I actually won here last year. Time really goes fast. You kind of have to think of it in a very positive way. 

“I think when you've had 17 or 18 different winners in the last 19 events or something, it's kind of crazy to think that, but it just shows that the amount of talent on the LPGA and not only these certain amounts of players are going to win, you just never know who could be holding the trophy at the end of the week.

“I know that I'm playing solid enough, and for me I've just got to focus on my game and try and get better in the aspects that need improvements and just kind of move on and be positive and not really get down on the fact that I haven't won in some period of time.”

Although she may not have won this year, it does not mean that Ko hasn’t had chances. The golfer from New Zealand has seven top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour this season and with a little bit more consistency in her game, it won’t be long until she is in the winner’s circle once again.

“I feel like the puzzle pieces are there, but I've been struggling to kind of put those pieces together,” said Ko. “Sometimes that is almost the hardest bit where you feel like those little pieces are there but to connect it and put them all into good rounds, I feel like there are a lot of positives going on, so I'm trying to stay patient.

“Obviously even though there are good things, there are always things you can work on, and I'm going to continue to practice hard and kind of maintain those things.

“But this is a busy stretch of events. I'm playing the Scottish and the British the next two weeks after this, too. You just have to be patient and confident, and every week is a new week.”