Charley Hull & Lydia Ko At It Again in New Zealand (Video)
Charley Hull and Lydia Ko both carded first round 70s at the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open, not an auspicious beginning for either of them, but not the worst on the leaderboard either. They both went into the 2nd round trailing the overnight leader, Anne-Lise Caudal, by 4 shots and then the teenagers turned it loose. Hull carded an impressive second round 66 and Ko set a new course record with an astonishing 11-under 61. Now the teen rivals are going into the third round separated by three strokes, Ko holding the top of the board at 13-under and Hull in solo second at 10-under. Let the battle between finesse and power begin!
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Charley Hull, the 2013 LET Rookie of the Year, came into the New Zealand Open ready to play some golf. She’d finished runner-up to Su Oh, the newest teen phenom in women’s golf, at the Australian Ladies Masters and seventh last weekend at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne, which Lydia Ko won.
Charley Hull. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
But is Hull a match for Lydia Ko? I’ve said before that these two amazing young athletes are at the earliest stage of a rivalry that could go on for a decade or more longer than Sorenstam v Ochoa, more exciting than Park v Lewis. They play very different games. Ko is a strategist and a tactician. Hull is a fearless power player. Ko’s game emphasizes control and precision. Hull’s game favors risk and reward. Ko’s on top today, but Hull’s game is maturing and settling and whether it’s this week in New Zealand or at Rancho Mirage, at Turnberry or Evian-les-Bains, the coin will flip, repeatedly.
Ko: Flirting With 59
With a bogey on the first hole after a slightly misdirected drive, Ko didn’t seem to be headed for the top of the board as she began her 2nd round on the Clearwater Golf Club track. Things improved rapidly. At one point in her round Ko had nine birdies in a 10-hole stretch. Seventeen holes later the world No.1 finished a round that included an eagle, 10 birdies, six pars and one bogey and walked off the 18th green with a course record 11 under 61 and sitting atop of the leaderboard.
That 2nd round 61 also tied the LET’s all-time record for the lowest 18 holes with six other players: Trish Johnson, Kirsty Taylor, Nina Reis, Lisa Holm Sorensen, Karrie Webb and So Yeon Ryu. How long will it be before Ko breaks 60? She’s certainly thinking about getting across that barrier.
The Broader View
First round leader, Anne-Lise Caudal carded a three-over-par 75 to be in a tie for 21st position. Dame Laura Davies made her move into the top 10 today after carding a five-under 67. The 2010 New Zealand Women’s Open champion is at six-under-par and tied for ninth. Watch ProGolfNow for an in-depth feature of this history-making woman that’s scheduled to appear next week.
West Australian Hannah Green, the leading amateur, is tied for ninth with Davies after rounds of 68 and 70.
The cut was made at one-over-par and 61 players, including 4 amateurs, will tee it up in the final round. Ko and Hull will play in the final group with Giulia Sergas.
Media Coverage
There is no live television coverage of the New Zealand Open for US fans. UK, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand fans should check their local broadcast schedules. LET YouTube live streaming will be available in some areas and fans can follow this link to access real time scores on the ALPG electronic leaderboard.