Golf: Lydia Ko confident ahead of NZ Women's Open

Lydia Ko last won a golf tournament in July 2016, but two top 10 finishes this month have buoyed her ahead of the New Zealand Women's Open starting tomorrow.

She fell from the world No.1 spot on June 12 - she's currently No.8 - but has had nine top 10 finishes and earnings of US$834,899 this year, including a tie for third at the Evian Championship major 10 days ago.

Ko spoke after competing in the pro-am this afternoon at Windross Farm.

The 20-year-old said the biggest adjustment to make will be for course conditions.

"This is a new golf course, so it's not like I know it with my eyes closed.

"It's been good to play in different weather conditions over the last few days. I was out there in the rain and wind in the afternoon [yesterday], and today when it was calm.

"The weather will be a huge factor here because there are not that many trees or things to block the wind, which could make it tricky."

Ko said she had rebuilt her confidence in recent weeks.

"I've been struggling for the last few months so it was nice to have those [top 10] finishes coming here.

"I don't think there's a miracle [turnaround] out there. It's hard when you know the pieces are there, but don't really know what's going on. The top 10 in Indianapolis [at the Women in Tech championship] gave me confidence for Evian.

"It's all about little things like confidence. I'm pretty sure within a couple of weeks my talent hasn't increased that much. It's just seeing putts drop and hitting fairways regularly."

Ko rated the 388m par-4 eighth hole as the hardest on the course.

"I hit a 3-wood into that par four today. The holes are so varied with the wind. Yesterday I used a pitching wedge into the green on one hole, then a 5-iron today.

"One day it might be a birdie hole; the next day you grab a par and run with it."