OTTAWA, Ont. – Although Lydia Ko is from New Zealand, give her track record north of the border, she might as well be considered Canadian.
Back in 2012 Ko, as an amateur, captured the Canadian Women’s Open at the age of 15 (and four months), to become the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA Tour event. And then she defended her title, wining by five shots in 2013. Fast-forward to 2015 and she turned the trick again, winning in a playoff.
Ko has now joined Meg Mallon and Pat Bradley as the only three-time winners of the CP Women’s Open, and has a chance over her career to become the first four-time champion of Canada’s national open.
Needless to say, she enjoys her time in Canada.
“I feel like there are a lot of similarities between New Zealand and Canada. The people are great… super nice. I know I'm going to a different country, but it feels like home almost. The Canadians have really taken me in as one of their own,” she said. “I love coming back here and obviously having my first LPGA win always puts a special memory in my heart.”
Ko hasn’t had the best of seasons as compared to her previous campaigns on the LPGA Tour, but she’s been able to chalk that up to a lot of change all at once, having switched caddies, coaches, equipment, clothes, and shoes this year.
“All the changes that I've made… I feel like they've been good changes, even though I haven't been able to play as well as I have in past seasons, I still feel like the changes that I've made has been a progress in a good way and not in a negative aspect,” said Ko.
Despite how different things are on the course, she’s still managed to notch seven top-10 finishes in 2017.
“I know that there are a lot of positive things going on. So I'm trying to keep my head high and keep working on my game. With golf you feel like everything's going good, but it just doesn't click. So I'm hoping for it all to kind of click soon,” Ko admitted.
“I've been working hard with my team to be a bit more consistent, and I think consistency is so important on Tour because you're playing week-in and week out, and to have that consistency is going to help to build confidence too.”
Ko also had some kind words about Brooke Henderson this week, after she played in Henderson’s Pro Am on Monday.
Ko and Henderson have become rivals, somewhat, since they both burst onto the scene at around the same time, are the same age, and it was Henderson who eclipsed Ko’s record of being the youngest woman to win a professional golf event. They also dueled down the stretch at last year’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where Henderson eventually prevailed to win her first major.
But you wouldn’t know they were rivals based on how Ko spoke so highly of Henderson, who, as a member of the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, is acting as a bit of host this week.
“Obviously we're in her backyard, and being here, especially with her playing so well, I think this is a great opportunity for the women's game and also growing golf in Canada too. Her and Lorie Kane and so many of the other Canadian players have done so much to make golf in Canada so big,” said Ko. “It's very exciting to play in their home country and to see the support that I've been seeing the last few days, it's great.”
With a smile, Ko said she was hearing a lot of, “I want you to come in second this week,” as the Canadian contingent are making no bones about where their allegiances lie in terms of who they will be cheering for.
But don’t be surprised if Ko manages to spoil the party, given her track record north of the border.
“I love playing in Canada,” she said. “Hopefully I'll be able to have a good result this week.”
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