World No.1 Lydia Ko Splits With Caddie
Despite a stellar 2022, the 25-year-old Kiwi will have a new caddie on the bag to start the year
World No.1 Lydia Ko is set to kick off the 2023 season with a new caddie after splitting with Derek Kistler.
The 25-year-old Kiwi enjoyed a stellar 2022 in winning three LPGA tour events and capped off the year with a superb two-stroke victory over Ireland’s Leona Maguire to win the CME Group Tour Championship and take home the $2 million first prize.
Ko also regained her spot as World No.1 in November, overtaking America’s Nelly Korda, and won the Rolex Player of the Year award and Vare Trophy for low scoring average.
Despite this, Ko’s sister and manager Sura confirmed to Golfweek that she will instead have David Jones on the bag when she starts her season at the $5m Aramco Saudi Ladies International.
Ko and Jones have worked together previously and won the 2021 Lotte Championship together, where Ko shot 28-under-par to win by seven strokes and take home her first title in almost three years.
The Irishman, Jones, most recently caddied with Canadian Nick Taylor on the PGA Tour. He has also worked extensively on the LPGA Tour and has been a caddie in three Major triumphs, firstly with In Gee Chun at the 2016 Evian Championship, then with Sung Hyun Park when the South Korean won the 2017 US Women’s Open and the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
While the move may come as shock, Ko has a proven track record of chopping and changing caddies fairly regularly unlike many tour professionals
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
In her rookie season on the LPGA tour in 2014, the then-18-year-old had eight different caddies on her way to winning the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award.
Ko and Jones’ first event, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International, is part of the Ladies European Tour and starts on February 16.
The World No.1 won the event in 2021, with this year’s tournament seeing a five-fold increase in the prize fund to match the $5 million of the men’s Saudi International, played last week and won by LIV Golf's Abraham Ancer.
Ben joined Golf Monthly having completed his NCTJ in multimedia sports journalism at News Associates, London. He is now a freelance journalist who also works for The Independent, Metro, UEFA and Stats Perform.
-
'There Is A Surprisingly High Proportion Of Players Who Simply Don’t Have A Clue' – The Five Rules I See Most People Struggle With
The Rules of Golf can be complex and here is an explanation to some of those that people encounter most and often get wrong
By Carly Frost Published
-
I Don’t Care About The World Rankings… These Are The 10 Best Male Golfers In The World Right Now
Fergus Bisset gives his thoughts on the 10 best male golfers in the world right now – the players with the greatest current potential to win the biggest tournaments
By Fergus Bisset Published
-
‘Nelly Does Have A Responsibility’ – Former World No.1 Says Korda Has To Help Push Women’s Golf Forward
Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis says Nelly Korda has a job to do to try and grow the women's game from her position as the dominant force in the sport
By Paul Higham Published
-
Defending Champion Lilia Vu Withdraws From Chevron Championship
Lilia Vu, who has been struggling with a back injury, has withdrawn from the first women's Major of the year prior to her first round
By Ben Fleming Published
-
Lottie Woad Managing Expectations For LPGA Debut After 'Life-Changing' Augusta National Women's Amateur Victory
Lottie Woad has earned a spot in this week's Chevron Championship after her historic win at Augusta National
By Ben Fleming Published
-
The Chevron Championship Prize Money Payout 2024
Lilia Vu defends her title in the first Major of the year at The Club at Carlton Woods in Texas, which has a record purse
By Mike Hall Published
-
10 Perks Of Winning The Chevron Championship
The winner of the first women’s Major of the year bags far more than a place in the history books
By Mike Hall Published
-
So Yeon Ryu Prepares To Wave Goodbye To Her Pro Career At This Week's Chevron Championship
The two-time Major winner announced her retirement last month and will bow out after this week's tournament in Texas
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
The Chevron Championship Tee Times - Rounds One And Two
Lilia Vu defends her title, and she's in a strong group alongside Nelly Korda and Minjee Lee in the first two rounds
By Mike Hall Published
-
'I Think 100 Is My Finishing Line' - Angela Stanford Suggests Retirement Is Close Ahead Of 98th Consecutive Major
The 2018 Evian Championship winner is playing her 98th consecutive Major at the Chevron Championship this week aged 46
By Jonny Leighfield Published