Amid a Disappointing LPGA Start, Will Lydia Ko Face a Crushing Blow Ahead of the CME Group Tour Championship?

Lydia Ko had a difficult start at the 2023 ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge in Pelican. The player finished in the 31st position on the scoreboard after her first round, and this feat has put her down in the stakes and standings to win the tourney. Amid this tension at work, a new problem has stirred the air, questioning Ko’s professional future.

At this year’s ANNIKA event, nine golfers are facing some sought-after make-or-break moments. Irrespective of all else, though, the spotlight is on Lydia Ko, who, despite an impressive comeback season in 2022, is at risk of becoming the first CME Group Tour Championship winner, unable to even qualify for the event the next year.

Lydia Ko is on a quest to recapture success after her historic 2022 win

Lydia Ko nailed herself a historic win on the greens at the 2022 CME Group Tour Championship. The golfer turned heads after she claimed the biggest winner’s check in women’s golf history. That wire-to-wire win marked Ko’s 19th LPGA title, with a final score of -17, two strokes ahead of Leona Maguire. 

The win last year also put Ko’s in the 2022 Player of the Year award for the second time and the Vare Trophy for the second consecutive season. With all these big, shining badges already adorning her coat, the expectations from this year’s play have left the golf world in wonder.

In her current form, Ko is struggling to find rhythm in her game. This year, the golfer had only one top-10 finish before the fall Asia swing. Although she defended her title at the BMW Ladies Championship and achieved a solo third place at the Maybank Championship, these performances earned her zero CME points as she was a sponsor’s invitee.

Irrespective of this lackluster season, however, Ko’s wins in the previous year have already secured her quality status for 2024, which will be there even if she remains outside the top 100 on CME points.

While the player navigates these pro golfing hard lucks, here is a quick look at how she’s been performing on the Floridan greens so far and what her play entails.

Ko’s ANNIKA event performance and hopes

Lydia Ko finished her first day in the top 40, occupying the 31st spot on the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge in Pelican. The former World No. 1 is already facing a setback as she enters the event because of a disappointing year. Ko has faced a lot of challenges in the current season, which include a sub-par performance after regaining the No. 1 position in the Rolex Rankings. Irrespective of her recent commendable performances, the golfer’s path to reclaiming the top spot faces stiff competition from other players contending for the No. 1 position in the ANNIKA event.

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If Ko gains back her playing strength and cadence and makes it to the top, her victory could also signal a potential comeback after her recent performances at the Maybank Championship and the BMW Ladies Championship. Till then, only time will tell what awaits her in the near future.

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