Ko motivated to get back on track in Arkansas

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Lydia Ko has lost her status as the best player in the women’s game and the New Zealander is determined to become more consistent after this wake-up call.

Ko was at the summit of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings for 100 weeks. However, all that changed two weeks ago when Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn took over that mantle as a result of a lengthy string of impressive performances.

Ko, who is still just 20-years-of-age, wants to build on her tenth place finish at the Meijer Classic last week. To illustrate her current rut in form, she has not won a tournament since July of 2016. She hopes to change that at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G this weekend.

“The fans have always been great,” said Ko, who shot a tournament-record, 16-under 196 in her three-stroke victory last year.

“I just feel like this is always a place that has welcomed me no matter how well I play or not. Outside of the golf course, the tournament being so supportive, I just love coming back here.

“It’s really hard to just embrace what’s going on because it’s just there’s so much going on outside of just you being the No. 1 ranked player.

“I think there was a bit more pressure then, but you start to not think about the ranking as much.

“Even though I’m number two right now, I don’t feel disappointed because I know how amazing Ariya has played and that’s why I think it just motivates me to work harder and hopefully play a bit more consistently and put my positions towards the top of the leader board.”

Ko has never finished worse than a tie for sixth in her four NWA appearances.

LPGA Tour Lydia Ko

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