Lydia Ko will make her 2016 debut this week at the event where she became the youngest Rolex Rankings No. 1 in the history of the LPGA Tour, the Coates Golf Championship.
Lydia Ko will make her 2016 debut this week at the event where she became the youngest Rolex Rankings No. 1 in the history of the LPGA Tour, the Coates Golf Championship Presented by R+L Carriers.
“You know, it’s pretty cool to be back, but it almost feels like the offseason goes by so fast. But it’s pretty exciting to see that this is my third year on Tour now, but I’m excited to get the season started,'' Lydia said to the LPGA tour.
Ko is coming into the Coates Golf Championship off the back off a historic year in which she became the youngest person in golf ever to rise to the number 1 position, the youngest woman to win a major championship, the youngest to win 10 LPGA titles and the youngest to win the Rolex Player of the Year and LPGA money-winning title.
Ko had a busy off-season, which included a trip to Korea and getting her driving learner’s permit.
“Yeah, and I got my learner’s permit, so whoever is around Orlando or around Champion’s Gate, I would recommend not being on the road when I am. Everybody said it’s the same as a cart, but it’s nothing like a cart.
It goes so much faster, and I’ve got a pretty fast car, an RCF Lexus, and it should be going like really fast, nice, speedy, 80 miles per hour, and I’m going like 30, 35 cruising along to Publix. But no, it’s really cool. It’s a good change. But it’s good that a parent or a guardian is there to keep me in line.''
While Ko may avoid the freeways, she rarely avoids the fairways, which she expects to be lined with fans this week.
“I think one of the big things about this tournament last year was that we had great crowds,” Ko said. “It was our season opener, and most of the fairways are packed full, and it wasn’t on a certain group, it was all kind of scattered around.
Even being out there today during the pro-am, we still had a few people walking around to watch us play. I heard some rumors that there will be bigger crowds this year, so that will be pretty cool to see.”
We can't wait to see what Lydia has got in store for 2016.
Image- Getty Images
