Golf: Ko gunning for second NZ Open title

Lydia Ko was 12 when she first played in the New Zealand Open. Photo / Getty Images

The buzz in Christchurch is all about teenage Kiwi golf sensation Lydia Ko who is back to play her first championship at home since being crowned world number one.

It was standing room only at a packed media conference at Clearwater Golf Club in Christchurch, where she will play the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open.

At 17 years, the South-Korean born prodigy became golf's youngest ever world number one earlier this month, and soon after went on to win the Australian Women's Open.

"To know that I'm 17 and that this is my sixth New Zealand Open, that's pretty cool," Ko said.

"I've had so many memories here in Clearwater, especially last year when so many people came out to watch me play."

She was just 12 when she played in the tournament and won her first New Zealand national open in 2013.

Ko is looking to capture her second national open title when she tees up in front of crowds expected to be double that of last year.

The sixth staging of the championship will run at Clearwater Golf Club from Friday to Sunday.

Ko said she was proud of fellow Korean-born 12-year-old Kiwi golfer Bohyun Park who will be making her first appearance in the competition.

"She is a good superstar for golf and I think it should be a great week for her and a good experience," she said.

Dean Murphy, New Zealand Golf chief executive, said Lydia was a "fantastic ambassador" for New Zealand on the world stage and it meant "so much to the golfing community" that she had made it a priority to play in her national open.