WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Rio de Janeiro silver medalist Lydia Ko will represent New Zealand in golf at the Tokyo Olympics.
The former world No. 1 has been selected along with Europe-based professional Ryan Fox in the New Zealand team for Tokyo. Fox also competed at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Ko was the youngest player, male or female, to win a professional tournament when she did so, aged 14, at the New South Wales Open in 2012. She was the youngest player at 15 to win an LPGA Tour Event and the youngest at 18 to win a major championship when she captured the 2015 Evian Championship.
The South Korea-born Ko will go into the Olympic tournament in good form after winning her first LPGA title since 2018 at the Lotte Championship this year.
“I’m super excited for the Tokyo Olympics,” Ko said Wednesday. “I’ve always felt very proud to be able to fly the New Zealand flag and to have the opportunity to represent New Zealand on a stage where all the best athletes are competing is a huge honor.”
Fox, who has played on the European Tour since 2016, is the son of former All Blacks flyhalf Grant Fox.
“I grew up in a family where representing New Zealand was the highest honor,” he said. “Golf doesn’t necessarily give you that many chances."
“I obviously represent New Zealand week in week out on the European Tour but I feel like I’m playing more for myself. At the Olympics you are completely representing New Zealand."
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