“I thought it was really cool for me to play in an environment that I’m not necessarily super comfortable with, and Linn asked me, she’s like, ‘Do you still get nervous?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I do.’
“I think I was actually more nervous about the reactivity of the golf ball on a golf course that I’ve really never played in and aren’t that used to. I think that was what I was more nervous about, but by the time you play a few holes, you’re more excited and you’re focused and you really want to win.
“You don’t really think about the externals as much, but I’m still motivated to this day to continue to play well and represent our New York Golf Club to the best of my abilities.”
Dame Lydia Ko (right) teamed up with Rose Zheng (left) and Linn Grant for the New York Golf Club in the first WTGL match. Photo / Getty Images
The establishment of the WTGL follows on from the men’s TGL, which enters its third season next month. Created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, alongside media executive Mike McCarley and in partnership with the PGA Tour, the indoor competition puts golf in a new light, allowing players’ personalities to shine alongside their golf.
All players wear microphones and can be brought directly into the broadcast through mid-round discussions with the commentary team. It allows viewers to hear the discussions around certain decisions and the interactions between teams.
During the inaugural match, Wie West could be heard apologising to Zheng for not conceding a 73cm (2ft 4 in) putt after a discussion with her team, which Zheng then missed, leaving the hole tied.
At one point, Wie West was also heard voicing her frustrations with the technology as a shot hit the green and spun backwards. She lamented, “That wasn’t a spinning shot.”
“We’re trying to showcase the players’ personalities and a different style of golf that maybe you necessarily wouldn’t see in our day-to-day tour events,” Ko said.
“It was fun. It definitely needs practice. I mean, I was at the stadium for the first time yesterday, so it was kind of, at first, a lot to take in, whether it was how the greens react or how far the balls go, but I think as the matches go, it’s going to be easier for us because we’re just going to get a little bit more familiar with the environment.
“All in all, it wasn’t the result that we wanted, but I think Rose, Linn and I, we all had a really good time.”
The New York Golf Club’s next assignment will be at the end of the month, when they take on Boston Common on November 30. The team also play on December 2 and 9, with playoffs slated for late in December.
Before her next WTGL match, Ko will return to the LPGA Tour for the Tour Championship next weekend. The 29-year-old will also play the Grant Thornton Invitational teams event, linking up with Australian Jason Day once again, in mid-December.
She will return to New Zealand in March for the New Zealand Women’s Open at Wainui, north of Auckland.
“I’m playing almost a full schedule leading up to the New Zealand Women’s Open next year anyway, so I wanted to be in like decent competitive shape leading into the championship. So yeah, I’m going to be playing a lot of golf and I’m sure I’ll be playing golf over the break, but a break is needed.
“So I think after Grant Thornton, I might take a couple [of] weeks off then.”
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.