Ko undaunted by pressure to perform
Hosting the first LPGA Tour event on her home soil means a variety of things to Lydia Ko but potential extra pressure is not one of them.
A two-time major championship winner, Kiwi golf star Ko is the headline act for next week’s New Zealand Women’s Open at the Windross Farm course near Auckland.
While the tournament will include seven others with a major victory on their resume, including US star Paula Creamer and former world No 1 Yani Tseng, there is no doubt who attention will be centred on.
Florida-based world No 8 Ko is a crowd favourite whenever she tees it up at home as part of a busy schedule that comes with being one of the world’s best players.
But the 20-year-old from Auckland’s North Shore has become renowned for her, outwardly anyway, calm and composed nature in even the most intense situations.
A week out from the first round of the Kiwi event, the defending and three-time tournament champion indicated the possibility of more pressure to perform than normal was not front of mind.
‘‘Maybe [there will be] but I’ve been lucky enough to play the New Zealand Open a few times and I don’t think the pressure side changes just because it’s an LPGA event,’’ Ko told Stuff after answering questions and offering tips at an ANZ bank ‘masterclass’ at The Cloud on Auckland’s waterfront yesterday.
‘‘The crowds [here in the past] have been awesome. I’m really going to get great energy from them and feed off that.
‘‘No matter if I make birdie or bogey, they’ll always be there supporting and that’s what it felt like when I played the New Zealand Open in Christchurch last year.
‘‘They were really with me the whole way and they were the biggest crowds I’ve played in front of.
‘‘I’m always proud to play my national open and now with it being an LPGA event, to have the best golfers here is an extra bonus.’’
Recent history suggests Ko can be trusted on her word.
In front of those previously mentioned throngs of Kiwis in Christchurch last year, she held her nerve impeccably to claim a two-shot victory.
Back-to-back titles had not looked such a strong possibility throughout most of the 2017.
After probably the longest form slump of her career through the middle part of this season, though, she appears to have come out the other side with a second-place finish two weeks ago and a tied third at the year’s final major, the Evian Championship, last time out.
A permanently positive player, Ko said it was a turnaround she had remained optimistic would come.
‘‘I’ve just been able to get a few different aspects of my game to work well in one [whole] round.
‘‘That gives me more opportunity for birdies and making more birdies and having good finishes is a good confidence booster.
‘‘Playing well at Indianapolis definitely gave me confidence going into the Evian and it’s nice to have some good results leading into the New Zealand Open.’’
Whether that momentum means a fourth national title on the open and potentially windswept Windross Farm layout remains to be seen.