Lydia Ko, fresh off her Olympic gold medal, is focused on preparing for next week’s Open Championship at St Andrews by competing in this week’s Women's Scottish Open. The 27-year-old New Zealander sees the event at Dundonald Links as an excellent opportunity to hone her skills on links courses, which are crucial for the upcoming major. The field at the Scottish Open is notably strong, featuring five of the world’s top ten players, 18 past major champions, and 36 competitors who participated in the recent Paris Olympics.
Reflecting on her Olympic experience, Ko expressed her enthusiasm about golf's full integration into the Games. She highlighted the joy of playing before 30,000 fans each day and viewed it as a significant honor to represent New Zealand. Ko hopes her success will inspire young athletes across various sports to pursue their dreams, reinforcing that if she can achieve it, so can others.
Ko’s decision to compete in the Scottish Open aligns with her preparation strategy for The Open. She values the opportunity to play on a links course, which she rarely encounters throughout the year. Ko believes maintaining her schedule is beneficial, particularly when gearing up for such a prominent tournament.
Meanwhile, world number two Lilia Vu is taking a pragmatic approach to the Scottish Open, preparing to adapt to the unpredictable weather conditions. Despite the "really beautiful" weather during Wednesday’s pro-am, Vu acknowledges that variable weather is expected throughout the tournament.
Defending champion Celine Boutier, who finished 18th at the Olympics, views the changing conditions as part of the unique challenge of Scottish courses. Scottish number one Gemma Dryburgh, inspired by Bob MacIntyre's win at the men’s Scottish Open, is eager to achieve her own dream of winning the home tournament. She expressed admiration for MacIntyre’s recent successes and hopes to follow in his footsteps.
ADD A COMMENT :