Ko off course after dizzy spell
The demands of life as a virtual professional golfer finally caught up with the world’s No 1-ranked amateur, Lydia Ko, in Melbourne yesterday when the 14-yearold was forced to withdraw from the Riversdale Cup.
Ko was leading fellow New Zealander Emily Perry and Australia’s Lauren Hibbert by two strokes after the first round but pulled out after experiencing dizziness and nausea shortly before she was to tee off.
A doctor assessed the North Harbour teenager and prescribed rest, casting doubt on her ability to play in next week’s World Ladies Championship tournament at Mission Hills in Haikou, China.
Ko’s coach, Guy Wilson, said her illness was symptomatic of a schedule that had seen her play in six tournaments in little over a month.
She completed the Australian Ladies’ Masters on the Gold Coast at the start of the month despite being plagued by a stomach bug.
Wilson thought Ko might have picked up a virus during her trans-tasman journey from the New Zealand Open near Christchurch, where she finished 17th last weekend.
‘‘She’s been on a lot of planes and there’s a big difference in temperature between Christchurch and Melbourne,’’ Wilson said.
‘‘She’s getting a bit tired and there were 36 holes [yesterday], so it’s not like she could grind it out,’’ he said.
Ko will remain in Melbourne to recuperate and return home at the weekend with the other New Zealanders competing at the Rivers- dale Cup. With Ko pulling out, New Zealand are no longer able to win the teams event.
Her partner Perry has been left to focus on the individual competition, which ends today.
Ko this year has won the Australian amateur matchplay title. She was the youngest winner of a professional tournament when she clinched the New South Wales Open last month.