KUALA LUMPUR: New Zealand’s golfing ace and superstar Lydia Ko, the reigning Olympic champion, has done it all and even had a blistering record last year. And she has also carried that hot form again this year.
And it would be all the more sweet if she can bag the Maybank Championship title, especially since her beloved dad will be by her side supporting her all the way at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club when the Maybank Championship kicks off on Thursday (Oct 30).
Her dad seems to be a real good luck charm for Lydia. The last time he was with her was when he was there to support her in Singapore in March, where Lydia played some of her best golf and went on to win the HSBC Women’s World Championship on the island.
“Ya, it’s always very encouraging to have your loved ones with you at a major tournament. It is always a big help. My parents don’t see me play as often as they used to, like in the early years of my career. And so when they do now, it’s always a big push for me to perform even better,” said Lydia, during her press conference for the Maybank Championships.
“You know, he really spurred me on when I won the HSBC title in March. Hope it is the same charm to see me win here this year.
“It is not easy playing in this region (South-East Asia). The weather here is a big challenge, and it gets really hot here at times. But that is the challenge a golfer needs to overcome to win here.
“The fans here, though, are wonderful. They really give us a lot of support, as seen in KLGCC in the last two years. I’m just aiming for a splendid run, and then on we will see how far we can go.”
Coming off an excellent weekend, Lydia had just helped the World team beat Japan and finish third at the inaugural LPGA Tour’s International Crown tournament. Besides Ko, the World Team also comprised Brooke Henderson (Canada), Wei-Ling Hsu (Taiwan), and Charley Hull (England).
“It was a good outing and it was a lot of fun too, but I do wish I had played a bigger part for the World Team in that tournament. But my form has been good so far this season, and I’m hoping to carry it on here in KLGCC,” said Lydia of the team tournament.
“Last week, for the most part, I hit the ball pretty solid. You know, I really didn’t make many putts. The only day I really made putts was the last round on Sunday.
“But hopefully that gives me a little bit more confidence and momentum going into this week. Obviously, the courses are very different between New Zealand and South Korea, and the course here and the grass is very different, so a bit of adjustment needs to be made.
“I’ve seen this golf course before, so it’s not a completely new golf course that I’m just purely having to get adjusted to in a short amount of time. But,
“Yeah, I mean, you have to hit it really well, and just when you see a lot of birdies, obviously, you have to putt well, but you’re setting up a lot of birdie opportunities. So I think that’s what I got to do well, too.”
The three-time Major champion also added that the tournament has many talented players competing for the title, and it will definitely be a tournament that is a worthwhile watch for the fans.
