A Letter To Super Duper Lydia Ko
Low key Queen of golf-swag
Dear Super Duper Lydia,
This morning I made sure I watched you in the final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. It's not too often my eyes are glued to the telly watching golf but after following you pretty closely for the past 12 months, I felt compelled to clear the schedule and catch some women's golf.
On a tough course, you shot rounds of 71, 70, 70 and 67. This saw you finish tied with Brooke Henderson on -6 and a playoff hole was required, where you unfortunately lost to Henderson as she sunk a putt for birdie and you could only manage par. You had a 2-shot lead heading into today's final round and I was keen to see your clutch in action, as has been the case in the past but Henderson was just too good.
Your quest to be the greatest almost went up a level, Henderson ruined your chance for a third-straight major which was a bummer.
Lydia, rarely do you disappoint.
It's hard to spot the difference between a win and a loss with you. When you win you are so gracious and when you lose, you genuinely look chuffed for the victor. That, combined with the joyful feeling of your influence on women's golf left me feeling the good vibes even though you hadn't quite shown the clutch I wanted.
Lydia, you didn't disappoint me.
Henderson is 18-years-old, she is the youngest winner of a Women's PGA Championship tournament and the second-youngest (behind you) to win a major. According to the LPGA, in 15 of the 16 tournaments this year, the winner has been 23yrs or younger. You are one of three teenagers to win a tournament this year, you've won two while Henderson and Minjee Lee have also tasted LPGA victory as teenagers this year.
Lydia, you didn't win and I doubt your presence had a direct influence on Henderson winning this tournament as an 18-year-old. A wave of pride swept away any sadness of your loss in that playoff, simply because you were there, up against another awesome female golf-extraordinaire who is younger than me ... which is scary.
You are not responsible for this youthful tinge to the LPGA and women's golf, but you are the leader of the youthful pack. Following you on your golfing journey is fun, I relay your results and some insight on to our Niche Cache faithful and up to this point I had kinda just viewed it all as young Lydia up against the world. After Henderson's win today - which has come after some impressive performances from the likes of Lee and other young women's golfers before this - things only get more interesting.
I doubt you see any sort of rivalry building, but I love how there are other young female golfers on the tour with just as much talent as you. You're the best, let's not get that twisted but you've got plenty of competition in your own age bracket, let alone the veterans of the tour.
When you burst on to the scene, it all looked so simple. Now there's an LPGA tour full to the brim with youthful talent and this only intrigues me further, it only makes me more interested in the LPGA tour and how you deal with the ladies who are hot on your heels.
I want to see you be the greatest Lydia, more importantly I want to see you be the greatest in the greatest era of women's golf that there's ever been. I'm not golfing historian but I think we may be looking at an era of women's golf that has multiple golfing superstars in it and I look forward to all these challengers to your throne making you even better.
Kia kaha and on to the next.
Chur,
Diggity Doc.