Coach thanks Ko for upswing in his career
Renowned golf instructor Sean Foley made a heartfelt tribute to Lydia Ko, crediting the Kiwi for revitalising his passion for coaching.
Since teaming with Foley midway through last year, Ko has dramatically improved her game, finishing in the top 10 in nine of her last 16 starts, culminating in Sunday’s victory at the Lotte Championship – her first LPGA title in almost three years.
The result has seen the former world No 1 climb back into the top 10 rankings for the first time since 2017, with Ko rising to seventh ahead of her next appearance at the LA Open, which starts tomorrow morning.
But while much has been made of Ko’s resurgence under Foley, it turns out the Canadian swing coach, who has tutored the likes of Tiger Woods and Justin Rose, has benefited from the relationship just as much as she has.
Earlier this month, after Ko set the final-round major championship scoring record at the ANA Inspiration, Foley told GOLF.COM that if he ‘‘were to design a daughter, it would be Lydia’’.
‘‘She’s just so special and amazing.’’
Following her win in Hawaii, Foley shared a lengthy Instagram post revealing just how important the 23-year-old has been to his career.
‘‘I have to admit when I started working with ‘Lyds’, I was at a crossroads in my career,’’ Foley wrote.
‘‘After 13 years coaching on the PGA Tour, and accomplishing so much but at the same time, bruised and bleeding from all of my failures and not feeling like I was enough more often than I wanted to.
‘‘I have seen the sunset from the highest professional summit, only to realise that night was near. It was dark, freezing and seemingly not worth it. Trying to be a husband and a father, but not present in either as my perception of my work became my identity. My tattoos were reminders of when I had more clarity, they now seemed like a lie.’’
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit last year, Foley had the time to do some soul-searching and examine his thoughts more deeply.
Despite living ‘‘my dream’’ and achieving so much success, the 47-year-old Canadian still felt empty and was left asking himself, ‘‘why do I coach?’’
‘‘The next day I get a phone call from Lydia,’’ Foley continued.
‘‘As we started to work I started to remember why I started to do this for a living in the first place. I develop as I develop others. We are all one. If I improve you, I improve. I am giving the advice I need to hear the most, until one day I am a walking example of it, an energy that makes all things around me vibrate.
‘‘This has been a very emotional post to write, but the recognition of our self truths is the only thing that can emancipate us.’’
Foley concluded the post by thanking Ko along with several other golfers he has coached during his career, including Woods, Rose, Danny Willett, Cameron Champ and Hunter Mahan.
Luxuriant mullet flowing, and a smile on his face, Colin de Grandhomme insists he’ll be ready to go in England as an intriguing fourway race heats up for the Black Caps test allrounder’s berth.
De Grandhomme had his first Covid-19 jab and took to the Bay Oval practice nets with team-mate Neil Wagner and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen yesterday, less than a month out from departure to the UK.
The 34-year-old was included in the 20-man squad for two England tests, which will be trimmed to 15 for the World Test Championship final against India on June 18, despite an injury-ravaged season.
He underwent ankle surgery in March, having played 12 domestic matches and bowled just 32 overs since the season began last October. He didn’t feature at all for New Zealand, as Daryl Mitchell stepped up as the batting allrounder in the No 7 spot, scoring his maiden test century against Pakistan in Christchurch in January.
‘‘It looks like I’m tracking well and I should be ready to go from ball one [in England] if I’m needed,’’ de Grandhomme said.
Assuming Devon Conway makes his test debut opening alongside Tom Latham, that leaves No 7 and fifth bowler as the most contestable spot in the top XI.
Given de Grandhomme’s lack of match fitness, on form Mitchell has the inside running if the Black Caps opt for an all-pace attack.
Averaging 37 with the bat and 31.6 with the ball in 24 tests, de Grandhomme has the numbers of a genuine allrounder and would be a potential threat with the Dukes ball. Whether he’s ready for the rigours of test cricket will be the big question.