Golf: Ko tees off at home as best in the world

Lydia Ko. Photo / Getty Images

When Lydia Ko tees off in the New Zealand Women's Open this month it will be as the top female golfer in the world.

Only some extraordinary dynamics will deprive the remarkable teenager of that No1 ranking status after she chose to play at the Clearwater course in Christchurch rather than a competing LPGA ranking tournament in Thailand.

Ko's final round 68 yesterday in the LPGA event in the Bahamas brought her through the field to finish tied for seventh and importantly, only a shot behind Inbee Park who was challenging her for the top ranking.

That surge from Ko earned her $31,310 and maintained her ranking ahead of Park who is bypassing the next tournament at Royal Melbourne which has Ko in the field starting on February 19.

Ko then heads for Clearwater as Park and most of the top golfers play in Thailand.

"People might now understand a bit more the importance of giving up the LPGA event in Thailand, the gravity of that decision," NZ Golf CEO Dean Murphy said.

"It was a big deal for her to make that call. It was great she chose to play at Clearwater and now even better that she will be there as world No1."

As Park steadied near the front of the field in the Bahamas and Ko struggled to make much headway late in her third round, the teenager's time at the top looked as though it might be brief.

However, a five under par final round 68 got her into Park's faltering slipstream. She closed with a 72 which kept her a shot ahead of Ko but not enough to displace her in the world rankings.

"I didn't really think about it," Ko said. "To me, it was more important trying to make a lot of good putts and a lot of good birdies."

That strategy worked and continued the remarkable form Ko has shown in making the cut in all 44 cuts of her starts on the pro tour including a top 10 success rate of more than 52 per cent.

The Bahamas event was won by LPGA rookie Sei Young Kim in a three way playoff with Sun Young Yoo and Ariya Jutanugarn.

"It will be great to have Lydia out here after she plays in Melbourne," Murphy said. "She is great."