Golf: Lydia Ko opens up about sacrifices her mum has made ahead of Women's British Open

Lydia Ko says her mum is a "huge inspiration". Photo / Photosport

Lydia Ko has revealed that her mum is the person she looks up to the most.

Ahead of the Women's British Open which starts tomorrow, Ko opened up about the sacrifices her mum has made for her and called her a "huge inspiration".

"I think my mom is somebody that I really look up to even though, from day to day, you don't get your chance to express yourself much in that way," Ko told CNN.

Ko's parents have been criticised in the past, particularly by her former coach David Leadbetter who said the 21-year-old's parents had too much involvement in her career.

However, Ko told CNN she was thankful for everything her mum has done for during her career.

"She's pretty much devoted her life to me and I came along a little later compared to my sister because she's eight years older than me, but even as an amateur she drove me to the New Zealand Amateurs, would fly over here [to the States], would rent a car and even at those times, at the age of 11 or 12, we didn't really have a GPS, so she printed out sheets with road maps and directions to go to these places that could be four to five hours away.

"So she's been a huge inspiration and role model to me. I'd say I don't think I could ever do that for my daughter."

Lydia Ko talks with her mother at the 2009 Women's Amateur Golf Championships. Photo / Photosport

In the wide-ranging interview, Ko also revealed the toughest moment of her career so far: "My toughest moment was probably the [2016] KPMG Women's PGA Championship where I came second and lost in the playoff."

Ko will be hoping to win her third major championship at the Royal Lytham and St. Annes, the same course where Sir Bob Charles became the first New Zealander to lift the Claret Jug.

She said winning at the Lancashire course would be an awesome experience.

"My playing partner was saying as soon as you get out of the men's locker room you see a big picture of Sir Bob," Ko said on the eve of the event.

"It's nice to come to a place where probably the best golfer from New Zealand and one of the best players in the world, in history...to come back where he's won is pretty cool.

"For me to maybe play well and join him, I think that would be an awesome experience."

Ko will be hoping to bounce back from missing the cut at last week's Scottish Open – just the sixth time in her professional career that she failed to play the weekend.

She tees off at 11.38pm tomorrow night.