Charley Hull is not yet 19, but she will be the “senior” player in the marquee group that also includes Lydia Ko and Su Oh for the first two rounds of the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open at Clearwater Golf Course.
This trio is definitely the future of golf. Kiwi Ko is world No. 1, England’s Hull is last year’s LET No.1 and Australian Oh won the RACV Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast earlier this month in only her second professional tournament.
Ko and Hull played together at Clearwater last year, but for Oh, playing alongside Ko is something that she has looked forward to for some time.
“She is the world’s best. I am looking forward to playing with her. I have seen her playing, but not close up. It will be good to see what she does and compare where my game is at. I’m also playing with Charley tomorrow. It’s a young group. It will be fun.”
Oh played the New Zealand Open at Clearwater two years ago as a 16-year-old amateur and finished in a tie for ninth with rounds of 74, 69, 69 and showed then that she was able to handle the tough conditions that Clearwater can throw up.
“I know it is going to be windy. I don’t mind playing in the wind, it is a real challenge. If I play well in the wind I feel like I have really accomplished something. I think two years ago it was wind and rain together. Hopefully we will only have one and not both together. I would be happy with that.”
Ko and Oh may not have played together, but they have one thing in common - they have both been the world’s No. 1 ranked amateur player as Oh took over from Ko when the phenomenon turned professional. Just like Ko, it did not take Oh long to announce her arrival in the professional ranks.
She birdied the last four holes at the RACV Ladies’ Masters at Royal Pines to win the tournament by three strokes.
“It was my second event as a professional and I didn’t really expect to win it. I
just wanted to play well and get into contention. It was a good week.”
With a total crowd of up to 30,000 expected over the three days in New Zealand, Oh is not duanted by the size of the galleries that are expected to follow the trio over the first two days.
“I don’t mind the crowd. I think it is great she (Lydia) can bring so many. It is so good for the tournament, so good for the game. I was just on the putting green before and there were people just watching her, and so were players. I’m not intimidated by a crowd. It will be great to have them here,” she said.
Su Oh interview transcript
Q: Have you played with Lydia Ko before?
A: When I played the Australian amateur I kind of met her, then she went off to play in the pro tournaments as an amateur. I've seen her at tournaments, but never been drawn with her so I'm really excited about this week.
Q: You won two weeks back, can you talk us through that?
A: It was my second event as a professional and I didn’t really expect to win it. I
just wanted to play well and get into contention. It was a good week.
Q: Tell us about playing with Lydia?
A: She is the world’s best. I am looking forward to playing with her. I have seen her playing, but not close up. Obviously when she is playing I am also playing. I have seen her on TV. It will be good to see her close up, to see what she does and compare where my game is at. I’m also playing with Charley (Hull) tomorrow. It’s a young group and I think I am the second in age in the group. It will be fun.
Q: When you are playing with someone like Lydia and she is playing well, is that intimidating?
A: She is not intimidating, like a girl. She’s playing great golf but I am not intimidated. It will be great to watch her play and to learn. It will be a great experience. I haven’t played with her yet, but I am looking forward to it.
Q: Can you learn by playing with her, virtually standing on the tee alongside her?
A: Yes, mentally she just seems to stay the same. You learn, not just from Lydia, but from every one you play with. I try to learn a few things from whoever I am playing with. I’m always looking at players to see what makes them different and what makes them so good. Lydia is No. 1 so she has probably got the lot.
Q: What about the crowds. They are talking about 30,000 through the gates. Does it excite you or is it nerve wracking and how will you handle that?
A: I don’t mind the crowd. I think it is great she can bring so many. It is so good for the tournament, so good for the game. I was just on the putting green before and there were people just watching her, and so were players. I’m not intimidated by a crowd. It will be great to have them here.
Q: You, Lydia, Charley Hull and Lexi Thompson are part of the young brigade. Do you get a sense of that is the way the game is heading with so many young players coming through?
A: Yes it is definitely getting younger, but there are so many veterans in the game as well. It is probably the only sport where the age group is anywhere from 17 up to 55 and older. It is a game anyone can play and hopefully we can play as long as players like Laura Davies and Carrie Webb. The key will be making sure we don’t burn ourselves out. I’m not sure how we will go but hopefully, yeah.
Q: How important is it to have a win here, with Lydia present as well?
A: It’s my last event in Australia and New Zealand for the year. It’s a good field and Lydia is coming off a win in Melbourne, but this event is in her home country so there will be lots of other things that she will have to be doing. Any win is a good win, but I am looking forward more to the experience than trying to win.
Q: Do you like playing in the wind?
A: I know it is going to be windy. I don’t mind playing in the wind, it is a real challenge. If I play well in the wind I feel like I have really accomplished something. I think two years ago it was wind and rain together. Hopefully we will only have one and not both together. I would be happy with that.
