It is an understatement to say that Lydia Ko has had an incredible career already.
It is ridiculous to think that Lydia Ko does not even turn 30 until next April. She is a three-time major champion and one win away from completing the Career Grand Slam.
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Meanwhile, the New Zealander has also won all three Olympic medals, despite golf only returning to the Games in Rio in 2016.
Ko is the youngest ever world number one across the men’s and women’s game, having reached the summit of the rankings when she was just 17.
So it is no surprise that her WTGL teammate Linn Grant is in awe of the 29-year-old.
There were eight years between Ko’s second and third major wins, while she also only won once in nearly five years on the LPGA Tour at one stage.
But speaking on 5 Clubs, Grant – who is part of New York Golf Club with Ko – insisted that she is amazed by just how good her teammate is at bouncing back from the various setbacks during her career.
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“Obviously, her performance on the golf course is amazing. I think what impresses me the most is not her best performances, but the fact that she has been on a rollercoaster career and been able to go down in these dips that we all do, but then next year, next season come back and be back to world number one or top three, winning majors, Olympic golds,” she said.
“That resilience, I think, says a lot about her, and I think that’s super impressive. Whenever I see her in a situation that’s outside of playing in the same group as her at a tournament, I’m just so impressed with how professional she is. Honestly, I really like watching her do interviews because I think she always gives really good answers. She’s always very thoughtful on everything, very professional.”
The inaugural WTGL season kicks off on Sunday, with New York facing a Los Angeles side that includes Michelle Wie West.
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TGL has attracted mixed reviews during its first couple of seasons. However, the WTGL could have a much more notable impact on the women’s game, helping highlight the biggest personalities to a more casual audience.
Those players who appeared to be comfortable in the SoFi Center thrived when it came to TGL. And Grant has spoken about her initial impressions of the arena ahead of her debut this weekend.
“The first time walking there, I was surprised that it’s actually so big, and just how impressive the whole arena is itself. I think when people are coming in and there’s a crowd there, it’s going to feel very cosy and intimate in a way. I think that will be really cool to play in front of,” she said.
“Obviously, growing up in Sweden, spending the winters indoors, I know all about hitting in a simulator. You’d think that would be to my advantage, but I think this is totally different. Hitting off grass, which is very appreciated, but the screen is massive, and it just takes time to get used to playing indoors, seeing the different lighting, hitting into that green. I want to spend a couple more hours on it to become totally comfortable, but we’ll get there I’m sure.”
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It is a shame that we do not yet have a competition that sees the men and women play alongside each other. But if WTGL manages to capture the imagination, the calls for a mixed format will surely become too loud for the decision makers to ignore.
