KO EXCITED TO EXPERIENCE UNIQUE FORMAT IN SINGAPORE

Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko is relishing the opportunity to tee it up at the Aramco Team Series presented by Public Investment Fund – Singapore.

It is the first time that the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International champion will be competing in the unique event.

The Aramco Team Series – Singapore will see 78 professionals compete in a 54-hole Stroke Play Individual Competition and 36 Teams will compete in a 36-hole Team Competition.

And Ko, who is ranked number one in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, is looking forward to being part of a team this week.

“Golf is an individual sport, so I didn’t have many chances since turning professional to be in kind of a team format,” said the two-time Major champion.

“This one is a little bit more unique where this is still individual, every stroke counts, but at the same time, you’re in a team format for the first couple days.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a little bit like weird to grasp tomorrow, but it should be a lot of fun.”

The New Zealander is a Team captain this week and at the Draft on Tuesday evening, she picked LET rookie Aline Krauter of Germany to be part of Team Ko.

The duo will also be joined by Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson alongside their amateur and they will tee it up at 11.09am local time.  

Ko explained: “Aline was somebody that I was hoping I could be in the same group with, so when I was able to do the pick and then get the person that I wanted, even though I was the last pick, I was excited.

“We’ve got a great group. I think we’re going to have fun. That’s the thing, it might sometimes depend more on the amateur, and I’m not sure how they play, but we’re going to have a good time and I think that’s the most important thing.”

The Aramco Team Series – Singapore is the first of five events taking place this year with tournaments in Florida, London, Hong Kong and Riyadh still to come.

Laguna National Golf Resort Club in Singapore is the stage for this week and Ko believes the course will provide a challenge.

“I’ve never played this golf course, so it’s nice to come and see something new and adjust to that,” she added.

“The greens are very small. I think if you hit it on the green you have got a pretty good chance for birdies. On the front nine there is a little bit more water in play, so especially with the forecast of the wind being a little bit breezier like the last couple days, it could definitely be a factor.

“If you drive it pretty well around here you can get a little bit aggressive with the pin positions, and if your iron play especially is good, I think that’s going to be the big key for this week.”

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