THREE-TIME CPWO CHAMP KO THIRSTY FOR FOURTH WIN
Most people don’t excel at professional sports at age 15. But most people aren’t Lydia Ko. The New Zealander won the 2012 CP Women’s Open as a 15-year-old amateur, becoming the youngest winner in LPGA history.
“I think even at that time it didn't really settle in,” said Ko, who followed that up with another win in 2013 and tacked on a third Canadian national title in 2015. “I think you're so young that you don't really know what's going on. Obviously you're super excited and super happy to have won, but, you know, I think I feel like I was very lucky right now looking back more than I was actually at that time. It was a lot to take in.”
Three years removed from that last win and Ko is primed for her fourth victory north of the border. The 21-year-old comes to Regina off a T16 finish at last week’s Indy Women in Tech Championship driven by Group 1001, and hopes to better her Canadian performance from 2017, when she missed the cut for the first time in her CPWO career.
“Every time I come back to Canada I feel like it's another home for me,” said Ko. “It's always great to come back to a place where you feel really welcomed and you don't feel like a stranger. The crowds are there on practice rounds and pro-ams. That's how excited they are to see us. I think that's a cool thing for us to play in front of these massive crowds.”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEFENDING CPWO CHAMPION SUNG HYUN PARK
- Sung Hyun Park is currently No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings; she previously held that spot from Nov. 6-12, 2017
- She has five LPGA victories – the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2017 CP Women’s Open, the 2018 Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic, the 2018 KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the 2018 Indy Women in Tech Championship driven by Group 1001
- She is one of the longest players on Tour, currently fifth in Driving Distance at 270.8 yards
- She is currently second in the Rolex Player of the Year standings and third in the Race to the CME Globe
- Park will represent the Republic of Korea at the 2018 UL International Crown
PARK, JONES TO RECEIVE ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 1 CADDIE BIB ON FIRST TEE
For the second time in her LPGA career, Sung Hyun Park has reached No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. In recognition of that achievement, her caddie, David Jones, will receive the green Rolex Caddie Bib from Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada, prior to her 1:43 p.m. tee time.
HISTORY OF TOP-RANKED PLAYERS IN ROLEX WOMEN’S WORLD GOLF RANKINGS
Sung Hyun Park returns to Rolex Rankings World No. 1 this week following her win at the 2018 Indy Women in Tech Championship driven by Group 1001. Park previously spent one week at No. 1 last year (November 6-12, 2017) and was the fourth Korean player to reach No. 1 in the history of the rankings, joining Jiyai Shin, Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu.
Park first achieved this feat in her rookie year and is one of only 13 players to reach No. 1 since the rankings debuted in February 2006. In 2018, four players have reached No. 1 through the first 34 weeks of the year.
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