Golf: When will Dame Lydia Ko tee off in a New Zealand event again?

Dame Lydia Ko claimed gold at the Paris Olympics. Photo / Getty Images

She has aced the world of golf and New Zealand sport, but when will Dame Lydia Ko be making eagles and birdies on home courses again?

It’s through no fault of her own. The New Zealand Women’s Open was last held in 2017 and is on indefinite hiatus which means tournament options in this country have been limited for the world No 3.

Talks are in full swing for a revival of the country’s premier women’s event but, without a timeline for its return, the hourglass is running out for the hottest name on the fairways to tee off in front of her home fans.

Golf NZ chief executive Jeff Latch admits plans have already hit the rough as the tournament looks to fit in on the sport’s calendar.

“We’re talking to the various international tours about adding an event in New Zealand to their schedule,” Latch said. “Which is a challenge at the moment because the schedules are quite packed around the world, in terms of events for women’s golf at the highest level.”

The first eight editions of the NZ Women’s Open, sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and won three times by Ko, were held around February. The most recent tournament in 2017 – the only one sanctioned by the LPGA - took place in October, before the event was shelved.

“I’m extremely confident that we should be able to get the Women’s Open back into the schedule of major tournaments in New Zealand. The way the schedules work, we normally need to plan out in advance for that, so that will take time,” Latch said.

But making a return is the first part. Organisers will still need Ko to provide some much-needed star power.

“Whether or not Lydia is able to play in it just depends on her schedule and which year we talk about hosting the event.”

Another possible – and maybe far-fetched – avenue for Ko to compete on Kiwi greens is to take on her male counterparts in the New Zealand Open, with the 104th edition set to tee off next week at Millbrook.

With a trifecta of Olympic medals, three major titles and her rightful place in the LPGA Hall of Fame secured, there’s not a lot left for Ko to tick off in her career.

Why not try her hand at challenging the men while the women’s event continues its resuscitation?

The likes of former world No 1 Annika Sorenstam and former major winner Michelle Wie West are on the short list of female golfers who have appeared at PGA Tour events. But Latch shut down the idea.

“I see a way for Lydia to participate, if she was interested in doing that, and be one of the ambassadors for the tournament. I certainly don’t see it being likely for Lydia to tee off against the men in that tournament.”

Despite the absence of competitive events in New Zealand, Ko still makes time to visit home, having spent part of her offseason developing the next generation of golfers through her Lydia Ko Scholarship, established in 2015.

“She spends time with them, coaching them and helping them out in terms of what it’s like to play on the LPGA and imparting her knowledge,” Latch said. “She plays several rounds of golf with them over two to three days. She picks up all the expenses to do with that.”

Ko’s impact on the sport is still profound, but imagine Ko driving down her home fairway with her Hall of Fame status – something that would help Golf NZ’s ambitious plan to double the number of women and girls taking part in the sport over the next five years.