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Ko to defend Aust Open golf title

World No.1 golfer Lydia Ko will defend her women's Australian Open title in Adelaide in February and will be joined by Minjee Lee and Karrie Webb.

New Zealand World No.1 Lydia Ko

World No.1 golfer Lydia Ko will defend her women's Australian Open title in Adelaide in February. (AAP)

World No.1 Lydia Ko will defend her women's Australian Open golf title in Adelaide early next year.

The New Zealander, still just 18, became the youngest winner in the tournament's history when she saluted at Royal Melbourne this year.

She will be joined on The Grange Golf Club's West Course by Australia's top-ranked players, LPGA Tour winner Minjee Lee and five-time national champion Karrie Webb, as the tournament returns to South Australia for the first time in 21 years.

Ko said she was excited to defend her title.

"It really helped to jump-start a great year for me in 2015 and I am thrilled to be the defending champion," Ko said.

"It's always fun for us to play in front of our fans in Australia and we are already hearing good things about The Grange Golf Club."

Lee, 19, was top amateur at the Open at Victoria GC in 2014, finishing tied for 11th and the leading Australian pro this year when she came home seventh.

She said she hoped to continue that progression.

"It would be fantastic to take that next step it would mean a lot to go well in my national championship," Lee said.

The tournament will be held from Feb 18-21.


2 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP



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