Lydia Ko Reveals YouTube Golf Formed Key Part Of Her Early US Women's Open Preparation

In 2024, it was unlucky 13 for Lydia Ko as the New Zealander missed the cut for the first time ever at a US Women's Open.

In a bid to win her first US Women's Open 12 months later, at the 14th attempt, Ko has been trying out a new method of preparation. And it's one that a lot of amateurs have used for a while - watching golf content creators on YouTube.

The 80th playing of the US Women's Open is taking place at a relatively-new layout, Erin Hills Golf Course - a stop that is rarely used on tour away from Major championships.

Since opening in 2006, it has welcomed the 2008 US Women's Amateur Public Links, the 2011 US Amateur, the 2017 US Open and the 2022 US Mid-Amateur alongside hosting public tee times.

However, given Ko - like the majority of her peers - had never set foot on to the Wisconsin property, the 2012 US Women's Amateur champion decided she would head over to YouTube for her first look before arriving.

Asked for her initial thoughts on Erin Hills, Ko admitted she had actually looked up the course before this week.

She said: "Yeah, in all honesty, I watched some YouTube golf before coming here and seeing how they played and just kind of get an idea of what the golf course is like. Obviously it plays very differently compared to when the men played here in 2017. You don't really know until you get here.

"But the course is difficult. It's fun. I think you need a lot of creativity, and as for any US Open, the course tends to change in regards to firmness and the green speed from Monday to Sunday.

"Yeah, I'm excited to see how the course changes over the next couple days, but yeah, it's a great golf course. I think it's fun.

"I don't think it's, like, for one type of player, which is something that I tend to really prefer because it kind of brings the whole field into it. Hopefully I can hit some good shots and get a few good lucky bounces and kind of go from there."

Then came the obvious follow-up question for Ko - whose YouTube channel did you watch?

The three-time Major winner replied with a smile: "I watched the Bryan Bros, and I think Wesley Bryan was trying to get his revenge from 2017 - (Bryan shot 15-over to miss the cut by 14 strokes before Brooks Koepka went on to claim the title).

"I think it's the series where they do it with Grant Horvat, and it's going to Major championship courses. I think they played at the ANWA [Augusta National Women's Amateur] course recently with Alexa Pano.

"I got into YouTube golf because of my husband, and I won't be shy to say I watch it on my own now. It's probably not the preparation that many of the other players did, but it was just a good way for me to kind of see the golf course."

Ko will begin her latest attempt to win a US Women's Open at 7:40am CDT on Thursday, when the Olympic gold medallist tees off from the 10th alongside defending champion Yuka Saso and amateur talent, Rianne Malixi.

On the other side of the draw is another star grouping which includes World No.1, Nelly Korda, Solheim Cup rival, Charley Hull and American legend, Lexi Thompson. They are due to start from the first hole at 1:25pm CDT. Minjee Lee, Mao Saigo and Jin Young Ko are in the group directly behind on Thursday.