KO COMES HOME
Hometown favorite and three-time New Zealand Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko will be channeling good memories at the MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open this week, however she doesn’t believe she will enjoy any particular advantages over a strong LPGA field.
Seven major champions including 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Danielle Kang and former world number one Yani Tseng are among the field for the first LPGA event in New Zealand, with the tournament beginning tomorrow at the new Windross Farm Golf Course in Auckland.
“To be able to play in front of a home crowd and some of my friends that have actually never watched golf before is going to be great,” said Ko after the Pro-Am today.
“It is really cool to see some familiar faces. I’m hoping a lot of kids come out with 16 and under getting free admission. Hopefully they’ll get inspired by watching us play.”
COULD THIS BE THE WEEK?
Ko has been knocking on the door of late with top-3 finishes in her last two starts. The 20-year-old has gone 29 starts since her last victory at the 2016 Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I but has twelve top-10 finishes in that span, including two runner-ups.
Should Ko break through for her 15th career LPGA victory this week, she would be become the first non-American player to win a LPGA tournament in their home country since the Republic of Korea’s Kyu Jung Baek won the 2014 LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship - Baek was not an LPGA member for that victory.
A victory would also push Ko past the $1 million mark on the year, representing the fourth consecutive season she has earned over $1 million - she has earned over $2 million in each of the last three seasons dating back to her rookie year in 2014.
OF NOTE - MALLON, OCHOA INDUCTED TO WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME
LPGA legends Meg Mallon and Lorena Ochoa were formally inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Tuesday evening at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
Mallon and Ochoa were joined by Henry Longhurst, Davis Love III and Ian Woosnam in the Class of 2017. LPGA.com's Amy Rogers sat down with Mallon and Ochoa to discuss their induction.
QUOTABLE
“This is a new golf course so it’s not like I know it with my eyes closed.” - Lydia Ko, a three-time New Zealand Women’s Open champion, on Windross Farm Golf Course
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