Lydia Ko's national open could well be on its way to becoming an official LPGA Tour event.
Fairfax Media in New Zealand reported last week (via Golf Channel) that organizers of the New Zealand Women's Open are in early discussions with the LPGA Tour about joining the schedule in an official capacity starting in 2017.
“We have had initial discussions, and there is certainly interest from both parties, but we have nothing concrete to announce at this time," LPGA chief communications officer Kraig Kann said to Golf Channel.
A large part of the draw would be Ko, with the Korean-born Kiwi having won the event in three of the last four years. In each of those years, the event has been co-sanctioned by Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The New Zealand Women's Open has been played in February in each of the last several years, working out well with Ko's early season schedule. The LPGA co-sanctions the Women's Australian Open, which is played in February and typically kicks off the Tour's early-season Asian swing. The New Zealand Women's Open could also fit in the LPGA's fall Asian swing, sometime in October.
