Why Isn't There More Lydia Ko Hoopla And Hype?

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As far as female athletes on the planet, it's hard to fathom any woman in her league right now. And there certainly is no male golfer posting the kind of numbers Lydia Ko is turning on the eve of the LPGA's first major at Mission Hills.

Doug Ferguson on her astounding 28-round under par-streak that has her 94-under in seven worldwide starts. It's all on the line in round one of the ANA Inspiration (aka The Dinah), plus other impressive numbers.

She has yet to miss the cut in her 48 events on the LPGA Tour. That includes 15 starts as an amateur, and she won two of them, both at the Canadian Women's Open.

Ko is a combined 90 under par during her streak of sub-par rounds that dates to the final round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Sorenstam was 100 under when she ran off 29 straight rounds under par. That streak included two majors, and that's what Ko is lacking.

And doing it all with such class, as Karen Crouse notes in the New York Times:

The coolheaded Ko seems to belie the notion of the impetuousness of youth. “I know someone who does it better than me, that’s Inbee,” Ko said, referring to the world No. 2, Inbee Park of South Korea. “She has the same poker face. Sometimes, it may be idiotic, when I make a stupid bogey I just laugh.” She added, “I just try to simplify things.”

Ko took all questions about her pursuit of greatness in her pre-ANA presser Wednesday. From GolfChannel.com:


And then there is her new media savy, as evidenced in this new piece shot around San Francisco, just posted and demonstrating her ease in front of a camera, notes SB Nation's Emily Kay.

Ko tees off at 11 am ET Thursday.

Lydia Grabs 10th Win, Now Has More Than Lexi/Wie...Combined

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This unbylined AP story notes that Lydia Ko took her home nation's New Zealand Women's Open by four, giving her ten professional victories.

Zak Kozuchowski notes that this puts Lydia ahead of two very young greats...combined.

It was her 10th professional win, which includes six on the LPGA Tour, three on the Ladies European Tour and one on the ALPG Tour.

To compare, Wie has four LPGA Tour wins. Thompson also has four, as well as one win on the Ladies European Tour. Keep in mind that Wie and Thompson are a combined 11 years older than Ko.