Tour News
No, Lydia Ko is not working with Sean Foley
For LPGA golf sensation, Lydia Ko, having one high-profile golf instructor oversee her swing is definitely enough.
A pre-tournament press release issued today by the LPGA stated that Tiger Woods’ former coach, Sean Foley, was working alongside David Leadbetter and offering Ko guidance on her swing remotely using the V1 Sports video analysis software. According to Matthew Smith, Academy Coordinator at Leadbetter Golf Academies, Sean Foley has never worked with Ko, however. And Foley’s agent, Christopher Armstrong, tells GolfWRX that his client has never even met her.
In the release, Ko is quoted as saying, “I sent some swings to him video-wise. And he gave me some tips with Sean. So that is sort of like a good quick fix. I obviously haven’t seen him for a few weeks. I’d love for him to be onsite but it works for when he’s not here.”
It’s incredibly likely that Ko was referring to Sean Hogan, a Leadbetter disciple who resides in Orlando, Fla. It’s easy to understand how the mixup could have occurred, especially given Ko’s successful first year on tour.
Ko’s professional debut got off to an eventful start when she posted her announcement via a clever YouTube video poking fun at herself and the hoopla surrounding her decision to rescind her amateur status. Ko made even more headlines a year ago when she and her management team split from long-time coach Guy Wilson who guided her throughout her brilliant amateur career and would begin working with Leadbetter and Hogan.
In addition to parting with Wilson, who had been at her side since age five, Ko has had a busy year signing mega deals with Callaway and IMG, all the while auditioning multiple caddies (eight and counting) during her inaugural season on the LPGA tour.
Decisions of this magnitude, both on and off the course, could easily derail a seasoned professional, let alone a teenage phenom in hipster glasses, but Ko has handled everything with maturity and aplomb. Already this season, Ko has won twice on tour, finished inside the top-10 an additional nine times and has risen to third in the Rolex Ranking.
For anyone who was originally critical of Ko’s decision to work with Leadbetter, and by extension, Hogan, the results speak for themselves. Up next for Ko? A chance to finish the season on a high note. The LPGA Rookie of the Year award and Race to the CME Globe points race is still up for grabs.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Players Championship
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.
We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.
Check out our photos below!
Pullout Albums
- New Titleist 2 wood – 2024 The Players Championship
- Cam Young testing Titleist’s new 2-wood – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Hole Nos. 17 and 18 – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Toulon Small Batch Texas putter – 2024 The Players Championship
- Swag Golf custom headcovers – 2024 The Players Championship
- New Ping PLD staff bags – 2024 The Players Championship
- SuperStroke St. Patrick’s Day putter grip – 2024 The Players Championship
- Taylor Montgomery using PuttView X training goggles – 2024 The Players Championship
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Tim
Oct 24, 2014 at 5:31 am
She didn’t split with her former coach, he is the new Zealand golf coach, and didn’t want to leave his family and job to travel the world for most of the year, which is what would have been required to continue the relationship. So they parted company amicably.
Rusty Cage
Oct 24, 2014 at 9:07 am
Tim,
Directly from the USA Today article published on December 23, 2013:
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Teenage golf star Lydia Ko has split with the only coach she has had since she took up the sport as a 5-year-old.
Guy Wilson, who has worked with the 16-year-old Ko for 11 years, issued a statement saying he was “incredibly disappointed” the partnership is over. Ko hasn’t publicly commented on the decision.
marcel
Oct 23, 2014 at 12:21 am
Lydia had such a great swing and tons of talent that only difference would be damaging her swing. great work so far way to go!!!