Lydia Ko discusses her off-season, the start of her 2021 LPGA Tour campaign, her winless drought and expectations that came with early success, and the Olympics.
New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko is back in action ahead of a busy year – which, all going to plan, will include a tripto the Olympics.
Ko, who begins her LPGA Tour season tomorrow morning in Orlando, revealed to the Herald she is committed to playing at the Tokyo Olympics if it goes ahead in July.
"I would love to be at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics," Ko said.
"Winning the silver medal in Rio was great but outside of that a very proud moment to be in the most global stage representing your country. Not many people get that opportunity so if it does happen this year I would love to be in Tokyo to represent New Zealand."
The 23-year-old is returning to competition off the back of a 2020 season where she had four top-10 finishes including a sixth-place finish at the ANA Inspiration major.
Her pre-season has been different due to the challenges presented by Covid-19. She had a six-week break in Korea after last year's Tour Championship where she had surgery on a deviated septum which sidelined her for a few weeks.
That's caused a slow build-up to her first event of the year, which is held at Ko's home course – the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club.
"I've only been back in Florida for three to four weeks, so ever since I've been back, I've been slowly getting back into things, working out where my trainers, working on the swing with [coach] Sean [Foley].
"I wish I had a bit more time to get ready for this event. That's the time I had, so I tried to be as productive as I could."
Lydia Ko. Photo / Getty
Ko achieved massive success as a teenager, winning two majors among her 15 tournament victories and more than US$10 million in prizemoney. But her drought without a victory, which she went close to breaking last year in finishing runner-up at the Marathon Classic in Ohio, will be three years in April.
Despite that, Ko is determined that results will not be her focus in 2021.
"When you put in the time and you don't see the results coming, you do get frustrated [and say] 'hey, will I ever be able to be more consistent or be able to hit the ball better or putt better?' There's a lot of doubts during those times, but I think especially working with Sean, I'm trying to realise and understand that I can get so result-orientated.
"If things go well and results follow, that's great. But I think I've just got to accept the things that are coming my way. I think it's a much healthier, happier mindset to be playing at. When I do those things better, the results kind of come with it."
Ko is adamant success didn't come too early in her career.
"I'm sure at points I might have said to myself, maybe if those things didn't happen early then there wouldn't have been as many expectations. At the same time, I think because those things happened early, I was able to come out on tour a little earlier and a lot of opportunities were given to me.
"I can't try to be the person I was when I was world No 1 or winning at those moments because I'm just not the same anymore. Experience changes you. I just have to be the best player, the best person, I can be at this moment and not compare myself to my past."
