Lydia Ko is planning to keep her strong 2021 form going in 2022 by taking a shorter break than recent years when she wraps up the current season on Monday.
Ko will finish her impressive season at the CME Group Tour Championship in Florida at the start of next week and instead of making her usual trip to South Korea for the holidays, will remain in the US.
The 24-year-old said it was part of her plan to get back on the greens quickly.
“No, I think I'm going to stay Stateside. I'm planning to start my season a little earlier than before. I don't think I played the Tournament of Champions in a few years,” Ko said.
“Because it's literally in my backyard next year, I thought it would be a miss to not play it when you could wake up an hour and a half and rock up to the golf course and still not be late.”
Ko admitted 2021 has been a special year for her with multiple titles, an Olympic bronze and all but securing the Vare Trophy – awarded to the LPGA player with the lowest scoring average on the year.
“I think it's been a meaningful season for me on and off the golf course. It's been a season like within my game where it's probably played some of the most consistent golf I have in my whole career,” Ko said.
“So, yeah, no, 2021... I was actually talking to my mental coach about it, but it's been, I think, some of the happiest moments in my short 24 years.”
Ko’s decision to stay in the US would see her back in action at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando from January 20 in contrast to her usual return which has been in February in recent years.
The tournament features winners from the previous two seasons of the LPGA Tour – a requirement Ko meets having won the Lotte Championship in April to end her three-year title drought.
It was just one of Ko’s many highlights this year with her most recent being a win on the European Tour at the Saudi Ladies International earlier this month.
Ko said an image of herself from almost a decade ago at Tiburon Golf Club ahead of this week’s championship reminded her of how far she has come in her rollercoaster career.
“I walked past my photo the other day and I was like, ‘dang, I've either aged a lot or, yeah,’ in the seven years. I feel like it has been more than seven years, but then at the same time I can't believe it has been [that long],” she said.
“That year, my putting was good, so I think that's going to be one of the biggest keys [again this week].”
Ko qualified third for the tournament behind LPGA stars Jin Young Ko and Nelly Korda among the 60-strong field, meaning she’ll group up with the duo for the opening round which is scheduled to tee off at 3:15am on Friday NZT.
“I'm excited to play alongside them. I feel like there is a little less pressure on me because like they have the Player of the Year, and they're so close in everything that I was like, ‘OK, I'm going to be like spectating while playing tomorrow’.
“It's super cool, and I think it's great for women's golf in general. Great for our tour. They have two very different games. Even though their strengths might be similar their games are very different.”
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