World number one Lydia Ko, who defended her New Zealand Women’s Open crown last month, leads the LPGA back to the United States after an Asian swing at the Founders Cup.
The Seoul-born 18-year-old claimed her homeland title for the third time in four seasons while the LPGA staged events in Australia, Singapore and Thailand before coming back to Phoenix, Arizona.
“It’s always good to go back to the national open. It’s probably the biggest crowds I’ve played in front of,” Ko said. “They’re not all golf fans. They just want to come out and have a good time.”
Now Ko is making the rounds with other sports celebrities, including the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, New Zealand rugby star Israel Dagg and Park Chan Ho, the first South Korean-born player in Major League Baseball history whom she played alongside in Wednesday’s pro-am.
“It was really cool to play alongside a legendary player like him and he seemed like he really loved golf, so that was really cool to see,” Ko said. “You don’t get that many opportunities to play with a player like Chan Ho Park, so that was a really cool opportunity for me.”
Park even served as Ko’s caddie for a brief stretch, finding it fun but a heavy load. “I’ve been watching her playing on the TV a lot, but I never think about to play with her,” Park said. “This is great for me to learn how amazing her personality is.”
Ko also spent time promoting her title defense in San Francisco next month at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic and she had the chance to meet the NBA-leading defending champion Golden State Warriors.
“That was really cool. I was just excited to go and watch them practice,” Ko said. “It was cool to see how they prepared for their game and just to be able to meet Steph Curry and Andre (Iguodala), it was a really cool experience.”
Ko did not drive overseas, concerned about differences between US driving set-ups and those in other lands. “When I was in Asia and New Zealand, Australia, I didn’t drive, and I don’t want to drive because it’s on the other side, and I’m trying to get used to one side,” she said. “So I haven’t really driven yet since I’ve come back. I’m pretty sure it hasn’t improved, unless I’ve been driving in my sleep.”
Ko said that she gets nervous in tense moments, even when playing with Park in a low-key round, and cited some advice she received from New Zealand All-Blacks rugby standout Israel Dagg about coping with nerves. “I was nervous playing with Chan Ho Park today,” she said. “I think obviously it’s important to try and control your nerves.
“That’s the thing where I try and accept it, and kind of like what Israel Dagg of the All Blacks told me, to kind of just embrace it, embrace the fans, embrace everything, and I think that’s kind of a good way to approach it.”
Next on Ko’s sports tour is a visit to Augusta National, where she will receive a Player of the Year Award from journalists on the eve of the Masters. “I’m just really excited. I’ve heard so many great things about it,” Ko said. “I’ve heard that there is not one piece of grass that is in the wrong place.
“It will be really cool to see some of the legends tee it up. I’m just excited to see the whole vibe of things. There’s a reason why the Masters is the Masters, so you kind of want to experience it yourself.”
And who better to top off the teen’s sport star list than reigning Masters champion Jordan Spieth. “I’m really looking forward to getting the opportunity to meet Jordan Spieth because I’ve read so many great things about him, how nice he is, so I’m really looking forward to taking a photo with him,” she said.