Ko poised to be star of the show

GOLF

Kevin Tutty Two years ago Lydia Ko was already making headlines.

As a 12-year-old she was in Christchurch for the New Zealand women’s Open where she finished tied for seventh.

She was naturally overawed by all the attention as the youngest competitor in the tournament but handled herself with poise beyond her 12 years.

She is back in Christchurch this week for this year’s ISPS Handa-sponsored NZ Open, and at 14, she is an assured young woman, able to talk about her game and her plans with confidence.

Yesterday at the Pegasus Golf Club at Woodend, she faced a battery of media interviews that took two hours out of her morning, and she handled them all with cheerful composure.

Any questions she was unable to answer she had caddy and coach Guy Wilson to fall back on, and the few times she had to do that, there was usually levity involved.

At one point she called out to Wilson who was being interviewed separately: ‘‘Guy, who’s the boss on course.’’

After a couple of light- hearted exchanges Ko decided: ‘‘I’m the boss on the course, aren’t I.’’

The gifted 14-year-old who first picked up a club at five, and whose first handicap at seven was 12, has become the star of New Zealand women’s golf.

She is sure to attract the crowds to the 54-hole tournament that starts tomorrow morning.

Since Christmas Ko has won the Australian women’s amateur championship, the New South Wales Open and finished tied for 32 in the Australian Masters, and a tie for 19 at the Australian Open.

It’s understandable with that list of successes that she arrives in Christchurch to find herself made favourite for the event by the New Zealand TAB at $11.

Next at $13 are defending champion Kristie Smith and Lindsay Wright (both Australia).

Ko said she was not feeling any extra pressure being favourite for the €200,000 (NZ$314,000) tournament cosanctioned by the Australian LPGA and the Ladies’ European Tour. ‘‘I saw that in the paper this morning but if I don’t win I’m sorry,’’ she said with a smile.