From the Land of Kiwis: Golf Players That Sports Bettors Should Keep an Eye on
Last updated: Dec 1, 2023, 1:44AM | Published: Dec 1, 2023, 1:43AM
Despite being a small island, New Zealand is one of those nations that has produced high-grade golf players. This is true for both men's and women's categories. In this article we will take a look at some of the top players from this nation and how the country supports its own.
Who supports the top New Zealand golfers?
New Zealand has taken a keen interest in supporting local players. GolfNZ, also known as Golf New Zealand, is one of the organizations that are attuned to support golfing in the nation. Their role includes a few things such as - overseeing the rules of the game, running the national handicapping system and organizing tournaments. By giving this kind of support, Kiwi golfers have a place to build and explore their golfing skills.
In addition to GolfNZ, sports betting companies are an important part of supporting New Zealand golfing talents. Some of the best online sportsbooks in the country ensure that Kiwi golfing is made popular around the world. By coming up with specific betting odds for various players, they popularize golfing in and out of the country.
Top Female Golfer: Lydia Ko
Although born in South Korea, Lydia Ko was brought up in New Zealand from the age of 5. Over her golf career, Ko boasts 23 professional wins, which is a remarkable success rate. These wins include
- 17 LPGA Tours
- 6 Ladies Europe
- 1 LPGA of Korea Tour
- 5 ALPG Tour events
Ko is also an Olympic medalist, having won silver at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics and bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics. Also, Ko holds the record for the youngest female player to be ranked as the No. 1 professional player in the world, at 17 years old and 9 months.
Top Male Golfer: Ryan Fox
Ryan Fox is an Auckland-born top male golfer. He became the first New Zealand golfer to win a European Tour event after ten years of no wins. This he did when he won his first European Tour event at the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth. Three years later, Fox won again at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February 2022, shooting a 22-under-par for four rounds. Currently, Fox has the lowest handicap in New Zealand (-8.1) and is globally ranked among the top 200 golfers. He is also 89th on StatsInsider's list for Golfers on the PGA tour.
Despite being on a smaller country side, New Zealand is producing world-class golfers, both in the male and female categories. Players like Lydia Ko and Ryan Fox are doing a great job in ensuring that the country remains top on the world map.
