Defending champion Minjee Lee has identified Lydia Ko as the top competitor to watch at this week's BMW Ladies Championship, marking the US LPGA Tour's return to South Korea. Lee, who won last year's title in a playoff against Alison Lee, is eager to defend her crown at the Seowon Valley Country Club. However, she faces significant competition from Ko, the 2022 champion, who recently claimed Olympic gold in Paris and ended her eight-year major championship drought at the Women's British Open.
Ko has continued her impressive form this season, adding a victory at the LPGA Queen City Championship last month to her accolades. Lee acknowledged the depth of talent in the field, stating, "You can't really pick one person because the depth of the field is so deep." Still, she highlighted Ko's exceptional performance in the latter half of the year, emphasizing the challenges Ko will pose. Additionally, Lee mentioned strong competitors like China's Yin Ruoning, who recently secured her fourth LPGA title, and South Korean player Ryu Hae-ran, who triumphed at TPC Boston.
As the tournament unfolds, Lee looks forward to a well-prepared course, noting that the greens are in better condition than in previous years. "There's much more grass on pretty much every single green," she observed, indicating improvements despite a few patches of concern. As the event features a 72-hole format without a cut, the competition promises to be intense, with other notable players like world No. 2 Lilia Vu and two-time major winner Yuka Saso also vying for the championship.
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