Why does Lydia Ko skip the LPGA Opening Day and participate in the LET?
After participating in ‘Aramco Ladies’ next month, participation in
‘Asian Swing’ scheduled
Monthly GWAA ‘Player of the Year’
No. Headed.
Lydia Ko announced on the 10th (Korean time) that she will participate in the European Women’s Professional Golf Tour (LET) Aramco Ladies International (total prize money of 5 million dollars) to be held next month at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. Therefore, she will not participate in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Championships (total prize money of $ 1.5 million), the opening match of the 2023 LPGA Tour in Florida, USA, on the 20th.
Aramco Ladies International is the first event in 2023 following her wedding on December 30, 2022 at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul. There is also a unique relationship that won at the time it was held in November 2021.
Not only that, but the prize money of this tournament is extraordinary thanks to the sponsorship of Saudi Arabia, which has recently expanded its influence in the international sports world. Among the LET schedules this season, except for the major women’s golf tournaments, the Amundi Evian Championship in July (total prize money of 6.5 million dollars) and the AIG Women’s Open in August (total prize money of 7.3 million dollars), the largest amount of prize money is at stake. Lydia Ko said, “I think women’s golf will get better in the future. We are grateful to those who believe in us and support us,” she said. 스포츠토토
Analysts say that there was a reason for scheduling in Saudi Arabia instead of the LPGA opening game. This season, there is no tournament on the LPGA tour for a month after the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Championship. The next event is the Honda LPGA Thailand (total prize money of 1.7 million dollars) to be held at the Siam Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand on February 23rd. As this year’s LPGA Tour holds three ‘Asian Swing’ tournaments in a row in Thailand, Singapore and China, it is much more advantageous to move to Thailand or Singapore immediately after participating in the Saudi Arabia tournament. Meanwhile, Lydia Ko was selected as the 2022 Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA). On the 11th, the LPGA announced on its homepage, “Lydia Ko won first place with 79.5% of the votes, beating Lee Min-ji (Australia) and Ataya Titikkun (Thailand).” This is the first time in seven years since he was named Player of the Year in 2015. In the men’s division, Scotty Scheffler (USA) won the Player of the Year award.
