Q. Been a bit of bit since we have now seen you on the Blue Bay LPGA. I do know you’ve been as much as some issues off the course, however what have the previous couple of weeks been like for you? What was it was it like reflecting after the Blue Bay LPGA?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, spending a pair weeks abroad was very nice. Blue Bay was one other one which we hadn’t been again for a very very long time. Performed rather well. I believe the final time I performed there or one of many years I used to be 5-over by means of the primary 5 holes, so I had a a lot better begin, yeah, simply golf basically over that week.
Whenever you come again from Asia it’s at all times — jet lag is little bit tougher than after we go to Asia as a result of it’s exhausting to time the flying time and all that.
Fortunately I had a pair weeks to have the ability to get by means of the jet lag, all of the journey stuff that your physique goes by means of, and do some follow and prepare for this week.
Q. And this course is clearly new for lots of people right here. Have you ever been in a position to follow but? What have you ever seen from this golf course and what do you want most about it?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I performed the entrance 9 on the primary day and the again 9 yesterday, after which going to play the again 9 once more within the pro-am at the moment.
The golf course is in actually fine condition. I do know there was a bit of little bit of rain on Sunday. So, you understand, perhaps it’s not as agency as it will’ve been with out it.
However even in contrast Monday to Tuesday I felt just like the course had dried out a bit of bit. I believe that’s what we’re going to see all through the week.
Yeah, I can’t actually decipher whether or not it’s like a great golf course for an extended hitter or a shorter hitter or anyone that hits it left-to-right or right-to-left, however the course is good. It’s acquired a great mixture of holes and a number of like center irons to love hybrid form of size irons, pictures for me, so I believe being exact with these goes to be essential this week.
Q. How a lot enjoyable has it been the previous few occasions you performed feeling such as you’re going to win each time you tee it up? You’ve gotten been enjoying such strong golf. How a lot enjoyable has it been so that you can be again in that peak kind, the place whenever you tee it up individuals are afraid?
LYDIA KO: Profitable in Orlando was nice, particularly at my house membership and profitable in entrance of members I see each different week exterior of that match week.
Generally whenever you win you are feeling like, yeah, you are able to do it, however then to again up one other nice week in Bradenton — though I want it had gone even higher — to nonetheless have one other good week on prime of that was actually good for the arrogance and set myself in a greater momentum going into this season.
I performed okay in Singapore. I performed properly once more in Blue Bay and gave myself one other good likelihood. I believe if I preserve giving myself good possibilities, I believe being very actual and trustworthy about what are the facets I must work on and what must get higher to maintain posting good scores and preserve giving myself possibilities, I believe being trustworthy with myself and having good suggestions and reflection with my coaches goes to be actually essential, not solely whenever you’re doing properly, however whenever you’re not doing properly, in an effort to form of overcome these situations extra shortly.
Q. A bit of bit away from this week, Judy Rankin is being recognised with a lifetime recognition award by the GWAA and the PGA. What has Judy actually meant to girls’s golf? She’s coated you because you got here out. How properly have you ever acquired to know her over time? How a lot does she imply to girls’s golf as an entire?
LYDIA KO: It’s fairly nice. I believe one of many greatest factor is at The Chevron Championship, all of the previous champions are there and we have now a champion’s dinner. I’ve been fortunate sufficient to have the ability to attend that champion as dinner since having received it in 2016. She’s clearly a previous champion there.
I believe generally when our era or a couple of generations behind a few of these former gamers, you don’t understand how nice they had been. Clearly Judy was an unbelievable participant.
Then she stayed and nonetheless stays with the sport by protecting. And I believe as a participant you journey rather a lot. For her to do that even exterior and after retiring from aggressive golf, I believe that simply reveals how a lot ardour and love she has for the sport.
I believe due to folks like her, girls’s golf has grown a lot. I believe we do need to thank folks like Judy which have form of set path for all of us.
Q. Has there been a day for the reason that TOC that you simply haven’t thought concerning the Corridor of Fame?
LYDIA KO: I don’t suppose I go to sleep or get up in a day enthusiastic about the Corridor of Fame. I believe folks round me give it some thought greater than I do. To be trustworthy, final 12 months I believed rather a lot about it, simply since you’re so shut.
Being within the Corridor of Fame was by no means actually an enormous aim of mine as a result of I didn’t suppose that I used to be perhaps succesful to be a part of these gamers that’s already within the Corridor of Fame.
After such a fantastic 12 months in ’22 I believe it was the primary time I used to be like, oh, perhaps I might be a Corridor of Famer. Clearly everyone knows that final 12 months didn’t go in addition to I’d’ve appreciated.
However, yeah, like I mentioned earlier than in different interviews, being one level away appears a bit of simpler than two. Generally it’s simply simpler mentioned than completed. Some gamers win for his or her first time in ten years. It’s simply not that straightforward.
Clearly Nelly is displaying that it’s fairly straightforward profitable two weeks in a row, however after I’m on the market I’m simply making an attempt to play the perfect golf I can. Clearly had an opportunity to have the ability to win once more at Blue Bay, however Bailey performed superb. I got here off the spherical saying I nonetheless performed properly. I might have been higher, however I don’t suppose I might have performed higher than how Bailey performed.
Generally different gamers simply play higher than you. All you are able to do is do your greatest. However I’m simply going to maintain giving myself good alternatives and good possibilities, and I believe as a substitute of setting my aim to simply be within the Corridor of Fame, like whereas I’m competitively enjoying I wish to win and compete on the highest stage as a lot as I can.
Not simply form of set my finish aim because the Corridor of Fame. I believe generally that makes you extra slender minded and makes me really feel like, okay, I simply must win one. However I wish to win multiple so long as I’m nonetheless enjoying.
Q. Only one fast comply with. You talked about being trustworthy with your self about what areas of your sport want to enhance. What’s that space?
LYDIA KO: I believe my ball placing has been rather a lot higher the previous couple of months than perhaps after I was struggling probably the most. But in addition spending a number of time — my quick sport, it’s very straightforward to suppose, oh, this one space is unhealthy as a result of your stats will not be nearly as good.
I believe you must be trustworthy and go like why is that this stat not good? Is it due to one thing else? Simply having the ability to see the general image, and that approach you get a greater gauge of the place your sport actually is at I believe and also you’re extra dialed in on what areas it is advisable to particularly work on.
Q. Speaking to your sister yesterday, form of alongside the strains of not considering of a few of these huge time targets, taking it a day at a time, how does the work in your psychological sport and the mentality that you’ve got has actually contributed to what we’ve seen to date this 12 months and likewise simply not letting that strain actually seep in? How a lot does the work you’ve had in your psychological sport assist in that capability?
LYDIA KO: I believe I simply have a bit of bit extra of a distinct mindset going into this 12 months. If I’m having to make extra sacrifices or perhaps an hour much less sleep or no matter, it’s simply the small issues. I believe I’m extra prepared to do it, and likewise prepared to take day off if it makes me really feel like I’m going to play at the next stage at one of many occasions I’m making an attempt to peak at.
I do really feel like I’m in a greater place mentally. I didn’t play properly in Singapore, however my sister and my husband was there. My husband mentioned he felt so completely satisfied seeing me like not get so annoyed over a foul day. The primary day I had a birdie-free spherical. No one needs a birdie-free spherical. You need bogey-free spherical, undoubtedly not birdie-free.
He mentioned I seemed like I used to be in a greater place. Clearly getting that form of suggestions from the folks which can be near you is nice. I believe that offers me I believe extra motivation to maintain engaged on the proper issues with my psychological coach and preserve doing what I’m doing and do different issues to simply preserve bettering.
Q. So Yeon, your profession has overlapped for a few years. Together with her announcement that she is retiring after The Chevron, hoping you may converse a bit of bit about So Yeon the participant after which additionally the longevity of prime feminine athletes isn’t so long as for lots of the blokes. What sort of selections — or what components go into these selections for LPGA gamers?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I believe So Yeon got here with a bang and received the U.S. Ladies’s Open, and to my data that was her first win on the LPGA. I believe that was earlier than she was an LPGA member.
And he or she was in that playoff or one thing with we Hee Kyung I believe. So she’s been round a very very long time. I’m glad that I used to be ready — I used to be a kind of generations of gamers that acquired to play alongside her and see her be the No. 1 participant and win majors and compete towards her.
She’s one of many gamers that has a number of good work ethic, and I believe that’s why she is without doubt one of the greatest feminine golfers. I assume like I can’t actually converse for the boys’s as a result of I’ve by no means been of their sneakers. There are perhaps a couple of extra issues that folks — gamers could contemplate as being a feminine, whether or not it’s eager to have a household or eager to do different issues exterior of golf.
I do know So Yeon has studied and gotten her diploma and I really feel like it doesn’t matter what she does, she at all times needs to simply grow to be a greater individual. So though she could also be retiring from golf, I really feel like she’s in all probability going to do huge and superb and profitable issues exterior of that.
Golf is only a chapter of her life. Everybody I believe may be very supportive and excited for her and Chevron being a former champion of The Chevron Championship, clearly it’s a fantastic finale for her and her final occasion.
However, yeah, I imply, it’s exhausting to say as a result of everybody retires at totally different ages and perhaps if the ladies’s LPGA Senior Tour stored rising and is as huge as perhaps how the PGA TOUR — the Champions Tour is, then perhaps there might be one more reason why like feminine golfers might play a bit of longer. I don’t know.
Everybody is worked up for her. I’m certain she’s excited for her subsequent chapter in life. I’m excited that I might be there at The Chevron Championship at her final occasion.
