It's a new year, and Lydia Ko is making her 2018 LPGA debut this week in the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open at Kooyonga Golf Club. In what has become the making of a trend, Ko starts her season with a new caddie and a new swing coach.
LPGA.com first reported changes on the bag and behind her on the range. Ko's new caddie is Jonny Scott, who most recently worked for Karrie Webb, and the Aussie Open will be their first week together.
Meanwhile, Ted Oh is Ko's new coach, replacing Gary Gilchrist. Oh was an accomplished player in his own right, competing in the 1993 US Open at the age of 16 -- not unlike Ko, who had LPGA wins by that age. Golfweek reports the duo are focusing on scoring clubs. Ko isn't the only Gilchrist player to move on in the offseason, with Paula Creamer moving to Kevin Craggs in an effort to strengthen her power game as she enters the next phase of her career.
Ko's upheaval comes after three big changes in 2017, including going to a new caddie, switching from Callaway to PXG equipment and moving on from David Leadbetter. The 2017 results were Ko's first winless season on the LPGA as a professional.
