Lydia Ko feeling a little homesick, trying to have fun on the links
Of late, Lydia Ko is trying to smile more on the golf course. The 18-year-old is trying to enjoy golf more instead of thinking of it as a job.
The grind of golf has been taking its toll on Ko. The result? Losing the No. 1 ranking in the world to Inbee Park and missing her first LPGA cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The Kiwi hasn’t been messing with her swing; she just wasn’t having run out there.
“I could feel it before KPMG, until really around that time,” Ko said, according to Golf Channel. “I was kind of out there because I was a tour golfer and needed to be out there, etc.”
She added, “I wasn’t burnt out,” she said. “I really just missed home and wanted to go see my friends. Last year, in the offseason, I did go back, but I went back for three days. When you are away for pretty much the whole year, and you’re only back three days . . . I just started really missing my friends.”
In other words, Ko wants to live aspects of a normal teenage life. She’s taking that step having enrolled in college at Korea University, although her studies will mostly be done online. Ko, who has already won twice this year, is contemplating some quality time at home to balance out being a superstar golfer with being, well, not.
“I think having fun is important,” she said. “That’s what I always say, because that’s the most important thing.”
And she’s right. And Ko had some fun on Sunday, shooting 2-under 68 at Lancaster Country Club to wrap up the U.S. Women’s Open in a tie for 12th — her best finish in the biggest event in women’s golf.
“I had a lot of fun out here this week,” she said. “The last two weeks I’ve been trying to smile a lot more, just enjoy it. That’s really helped me, even in bad situations. I’ve had a lot of fun.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
