Ocean Club Golf Course
Paradise Island, Bahamas
Pre-Tournament Notes
February 4, 2015

NEXT STEP AHEAD
While her parents, agent and coach had glasses of celebratory champagne after she clinched the No. 1 ranking last Saturday, Lydia Ko opted for lemonade. The 17-year hasn’t had too many lemons in her short career and the latest achievement might be the most impressive. She has had five days to let the news sink in that she’s officially the best women’s golfer in the world but is now focused on keeping her concentration on her game and not the extra attention that will come with the accolade.

“I guess I have had time for everything to kind of sink in, especially with the last week’s tournament finishing on the Saturday, but I’m just trying to go back to my normal routine, just get used to the weather here and check out the course,” said Ko. “It’s obviously a huge honor to be in that ranking position but, yeah, I’m trying to just go with it, just concentrate on my game. I’m very proud to be in that position, but at the same time I’m trying to just kind of block it out and just be like another golfer, being on the course and just enjoying my time out here.”

ROYAL RECOGNITION
When Lydia Ko officially ascended to No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings earlier this week, the 17-year old had an influx of congratulatory messages but one stuck out the most. Fellow New Zealander and pop star Lorde tweeted at Ko which left her in a state of shock.

“Well, surprised by probably Lorde. I mean she was Billboard Chart No. 1 with her song Royals. And I’m a huge fan of her music and she sent me a tweet and she’s like, congratulations, very proud,” said Ko. “And I was like, ‘oh, my God, I thought, oh, my God,’ because I’m a huge fan for her and that’s somebody and somebody of that status to give me a tweet like that, that was pretty awesome.”

In 2013, Lorde was named alongside Ko as one of Time Magazine’s 30 Most Influential Teenagers in the World.

PERKS FOR A CHAMP
Jessica Korda is reaping all the rewards as defending champion this week at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic and said she has not minded the extra perks that comes along with being a past winner in the Bahamas. She was presented a bracelet from a local jeweler at the pro-am party Tuesday night and was pleased to get an upgraded room at the Atlantis Resort hotel.

“I did. I did. Not really. I did get upgraded to a really nice view,” said Korda. “I have the whole ocean basically and the whole resort underneath me and it’s super nice. I mean, you wake up in the morning and you’re just like, wow, this is my life right now.”

Korda was even welcomed like royalty when she arrived at the airport in Nassau, something she said might have put a target on her back for the rest of the week.

“So I definitely feel very spoiled. But, really, I don’t really need any perk, but it was nice to get a private shuttle from the airport and not have to wait for everybody else to get on,” said Korda. “I thought that was kind of cool. Everybody sitting in the bus and I’m just waving out of my car, see you guys later (laughs). That might put a bulls eye on my back, but that’s okay.”

ELDERLY ADVICE
The battle for the top spot in women’s golf continues for the LPGA in 2015, but it has a new, youthful leader in Lydia Ko. The 17 year-old took over the Rolex World Rankings No. 1 spot Monday following her T2 finish at the Coates Golf Championship presented by R&L Carriers. Ko made history taking over the top spot in women’s golf this week and other players had nothing but support for the historic moment.

“I think for golf in general it’s a big moment,” said Lewis. “It puts us on the map. It gives everyone something to talk about. To do something that she’s done four years prior to Tiger, that’s just crazy to even think about.”

Lewis knows first-hand what it takes to be No. 1 and all of the extra attention and priorities that come with it. She knows the importance of mentorship while adapting to No. 1 in the world and doesn’t shy from giving advice to Ko.

“I’ve told her if she needs anything, and it’s been like that from the get-go,” said Lewis. “We’ve had a pretty cool relationship over the last few years, and she’s watching what I’m doing and I’m watching what she’s doing. I told her that her playing good golf helps us more than anything and just to make sure that that’s the No. 1.”

Ko mentioned later on Wednesday that she appreciated Lewis going out of her way to lend some advice.

“I think some of the best advice I got was from Stacy this morning, she said, concentrate on your game, it’s pretty awesome to be there, but you’re playing good golf and just don’t worry about everything else that goes on,” said Ko. “So it was really cool for me to have somebody like her tell me that kind of thing and it really went into my heart and I really want to thank her for saying those things.”

ALL STARTS WITH TRUST
Stacy Lewis started the 2015 season with some uncertainty of whether off-season swing changes would translate onto the course immediately. But after a tie for eighth finish last week in Ocala, the No. 3 player in the world was pleased to see some good signs in her wedges and short game. She hit 16 out of 18 greens in both the first and third round at the Coates Golf Championship.

“I think one thing I saw some improvement in kind of my wedges and short irons, which that was one thing we were working on,” said Lewis. “It was pretty good. It was a pretty good week. I didn’t quite trust some of the changes and things we had worked on, so that kind of crept in with some misses on the course. But I feel like I got some confirmation that what we’re working on is right. That’s the biggest thing. Now it’s just kind of trusting it and putting into play a little more.”

Add in a new ball and a new driver into the mix, Lewis knew she would have to work on trusting the different changes but said her first time out was a step in the right direction.

“Yeah, there was some uncertainties a little bit going into last week, ball change, new driver in the bag, swing stuff, so there’s a few uncertainties there, but I felt like at the same time I was doing they were the right changes to make,” said Lewis. “You know, I would have liked to have had a little better week even, but I was happy that the changes were what I expected and that they were good.”

Last week’s top-10 finish marked the 75th top-10 in Lewis’ career.

PURE SILK FAMILY
Stacy Lewis is one of 11 LPGA Tour players who are ambassadors for Pure Silk, the title sponsor this week and leading shaving cream producer, and said that being connected to a sponsor during tournament week is something she takes extra pride in.

“For sure. Any time I’ve got a logo on my shirt that’s hosting a tournament, that’s a few more things you have to do,” said Lewis. “But at the same time I’m proud that we were able to bring PureSilk to the LPGA and kind of show them what they’re about. So far this tournament has been kind of a great correlation for them. They love this week. They love everything about it. They love just being around the players, and it’s a great place like the Bahamas to do that. Everybody is so relaxed here. There’s not a ton of stuff going on. It’s just a nice, laid back week.”

Lewis said the picturesque setting at the Atlantis and Ocean Club is a great way to ease into the season. She said she wasn’t exactly ready for the massive crowds at Ocala right off the bat.

“I guess for the first or second week of the year this is perfect,” said Lewis. “Last week we had great crowds and everything but it was almost a little bit overwhelming because you weren’t quite ready for it, whereas this week is, all right, kind of ease yourself into the year. We have some people come out and watch but it’s not overwhelming or anything like that, so it’s just it’s nice. It’s laid back. It feels like you’re on vacation. It’s a great week. I think it’s a great week for everybody.”

QUOTABLE
“Actually, when I see in my past tournaments, I really finished strong in the last couple holes, and this was just one of the cases where I kind of went the other way. It just made me realize, you just really never know until the last hole, the last putt, and just saying that anything can happen. So you really, you have to stay focused that whole time.” -Lydia Ko on dealing with her faltering at the finish last week in Ocala

“17 years old and number one in the world is quite an honor and it’s just pretty amazing. She’s very consistent player and she’s a very good player. And that gives me, obviously, more motivation to play on for this season and only my only goal this year was to win a British Open, but here you go, it’s another thing to do.” -Inbee Park on the motivation of getting back to the No. 1 ranking

TV TIMES THIS WEEK AT THE PURE SILK-BAHAMAS LPGA CLASSIC
Golf Channel
Thursday 11:30am-2:30pm ET
Friday 11:30am-2:30pm ET
Saturday 3:00-5:00pm ET
Sunday 3:00-5:00pm ET

Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic Wednesday Pre-tournament News & Notes

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