Lydia Ko Stunned in Opening Round of T-Mobile Match Play

Lydia Ko, the top-ranked player in the world and third-seeded competitor at the T-Mobile Match Play, faced a surprising defeat in her opening match against Hira Naveed. Ko surprised most observers with a thrashing 6 and 4 defeat to Naveed. Just two days prior to the tournament, Naveed had signed in as the first alternate.

The championship match opened with simultaneous chants of “Nasa ko! Everyone expected her to, and for all of that impressive eventing track record to come through. She came out of the gates firing, going 1-up early. A Lim Kim grabbed the momentum right back, taking the 17th hole with a birdie, putting the pressure back on Naveed. The swing of the match came quickly as Naveed took advantage of her openings, winning the match with four holes remaining.

Ko’s defeat is notable here, as she is a number one seed. Given her powerful pedigree of performance in the T-Mobile Match Play, this loss comes as a further shock. She has been in great form all week after tearing it up at the last two tournaments. This surprising loss would be a big blow to her hopes of winning back the crown. Fans and analysts alike expected Ko to make it much further in the competition. Her early exit came as a shock to all.

Hira Naveed’s dark-horse victory was a testament to the unpredictable nature of match play. She had only arrived on course as a last-minute replacement. Even her supporters had doubts about her ability to do so against such an accomplished competitor as Ko.

Brittany Altomare, reflecting on the outcomes of match play, stated, “It’s match play, so anything can happen.” The irony of this sentiment is not lost on players, who ride the roller coaster of competitive golf that rarely fails to produce shocking outcomes.

In that context, Ko’s performance has generated particularly strong interest because it’s so bad. Yet it provides a potent reminder of the pitfalls inherent in the match play formats. Although she’s ranked higher and is a ten-time Grand Slam winner, the result proves that no one’s match is safe, even with a high ranking.