Cho ready to play in open after recovering from injury
Geoff Longley While New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko has been hogging the headlines in Australia, classy compatriot Cecilia Cho has been literally cooling her heels back home.
That is all about to change this week when Cho re-enters the arena at the New Zealand women’s open tournament at Pegasus on Friday after having an enforced rest recovering from a shin wound that needed five stitches after a gymnasium accident.
Cho, 17, is playing her first tournament since competing at the Australian match-play championships in Melbourne a month ago, where she qualified but made an unexpectedly early exit.
She has been back on her feet during the past week at the range preparing for her return.
Cho cut her leg doing box jumps while training at the gymnasium before heading to Australia. She had the stitches inserted in New Zealand before departing but had trouble bending down during the tournament.
‘‘The doctor said the stitches had not bonded together properly and I needed some time off my feet to help them heal,’’ she said.
Otherwise Cho would have been competing at the same events alongside Ko, who created history when she became the youngest player to win a professional tournament at 14 in Sydney.
‘‘I was really happy for her, it’s great to win a pro event like that and do so well in the tournaments that followed.’’
A refreshed Cho, who was the world No 1 amateur last March before Ko topped the rankings, and who now sits at No 3, is looking forward to playing at Pegasus.
‘‘I just hope that the wind just doesn’t blow too much and the rain goes away,’’ she said.
Last year she battled with a northeasterly wind and although qualifying finished in midfield in a tie for 33rd after a disastrous nine on one hole.
‘‘Obviously my aim is to qualify and see where things go from there. I’m expecting to play well and have made a couple of changes to my swing during my down time. But I know I’ve missed some time on the course so I’m not exactly sure what to expect.’’
Cho will use the tournament as a stepping stone toward turning professional, which she intends doing in April in her birth country, South Korea.
Cho intends playing the Asian tour and said her familiarity with the Korean lifestyle and language should hold her in good stead. She will continue with her education by correspondence school.
Cho and Ko last played in Christchurch after the February 22 earthquake when meeting in the national women’s amateur match-play final at Russley in April which Ko won 4 and 3.
Meanwhile, Ko has been installed as favourite for the event by the TAB at $11 to win the threeround tournament. Cho is on the line of 10th favourite paying $30 to win.