Lydia Ko earns Low-Amateur Honours at the U.S. Open
Lydia Ko, the rising star from New Zealand, won Low-Amateur honours in the recent U.S. Women’s Open.
This is a rare honour for the young player who is just fifteen years old. The honor did not fall easily into Ko’s lap. She had a rough time during the last round and had to compete against two of the best amateur players.
She shot a double bogey at the 16th hole. This was followed by a bogey on the 17th hole. The 18th hole saw her shooting a triple bogey.
This finish did not impress Ko, who drives herself hard. Commenting on the play, she said, “It was kind of disappointing the last three holes”.\
Blackwolf Run, where the tournament was held is notorious for its rough terrain and taxing conditions. Ko was well aware of the course and played exceptionally well to achieve the honours.
Ko said that she did not have the honour in mind when she stepped on the golf course. She was merely aiming to play her game as well as she could. However, she does admit that the Low-Amateur honour was her primary motivation of participating in the tournament.
Ko has been ranked as the world’s top amateur player by the global golf rankings. This is indeed something the 15-year-old can be proud of. She has a great amateur career with three wins to her credit.
Ko is very happy with her performance in the U.S. Open. She has gained valuable experience that will be of immense benefit in the coming years.
She said, “There were a few points where I could have improved, but I got good experience out there.” Already, her coach, Guy Wilson is hopeful for a bright amateur career for her.
Like any amateur, Ko has started to feel the pressure that comes with mainstream amateur golf. Many amateurs have burned out, unable to cope with the pressures that are part and parcel of a top level golf event.
Commenting on her honour, Ko said, "You know, I guess only three amateurs did make it to the weekend, but everyone out here, they deserve to be out here, and they earned their way here. So I'm honoured to get the low winner prize".
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