Idea: Lydia Ko and Kai Trump

Listen up drop-kick New Zealand politicians; it is clear that Donald J. Trump sees things on the microeconomic level, rather like a businessman dealing with suppliers and customers. That said, here's a quality idea for free - just give me credit for being the FIRST to think of it:

Idea: ask Lydia Ko, the current LPGA world number 3 golf professional, to play a round of golf with Donald J. Trump's granddaughter, Kai Trump. 

Kai Trump will be on a golf scholarship at the University of Miami soon, while Lydia Ko lives in Orlando, Florida. Maybe Lydia could do nine holes, and maybe let Kai have some tips, like how she does her fading drive, or expert chip onto the green. Donald J. Trump is a golf fanatic and would really appreciate the gesture.

The payoff is to get NZ exports to the US zero-rated from tariffs. This is not to have the baseline 10% removed, the better approach is to seek a concession, suspending the 10%. In customs clearances there are two columns, the first notes the tariff rate, while the next notes whether a concession applies - the goal would be to obtain a concession.

I'm sure Lydia Ko would be on board this, she's a trooper.

Lydia Ko - Champion

New Zealand golfer, Lydia Ko is back on top with her win in the season ending CME Group Tour Championship. I feel a sense of relief that she's back to the top where she belongs. She is such an inspiration and might I say, she's looking really fit. 

In the past I've commented on Lydia Ko twice:

I noticed her return to form in 2021: https://kenhorlor.blogspot.com/2021/04/lydia-ko-2nd-at-ana-inspiration.html

Farther back I was critical of her choosing to work with people who had an obvious conflict of interest: https://kenhorlor.blogspot.com/2018/07/lydia-ko-where-she-went-wrong.html

[Edit to add @ 28/11/2022: Lydia Ko is back to being world number 1 https://www.lpga.com/news/2022/lydia-ko-returns-to-no1 ]

Lydia Ko 2nd at ANA Inspiration

Good to see Lydia Ko returning to form. She looks fit and seems to be taller now at age 23. Her putting is superb and she plays her own game once again. In the past I believe she's been listening to the wrong people, apparently those days are behind her as she racks up solid result after result. Wins will come in time. If she continues to play like this she'll be back to number 1 in no time.

Lydia Ko: Where She Went Wrong

I'm a big fan of former world number one golfer, Lydia Ko. Former number one, and that title really rankles with me as it needn't have been so. She could have sat at the top of the world for years, and when I say years I mean a decade or more. But she blew it and I'll tell you why. She blew it as she and her parent managers were very naive.

Now what I'm about to say may sound racist. It isn't but the more sensitive out there may not want to read any further as you delicate flowers may need a lie down afterwards.

Right here goes. Lydia Ko has been very naive. How so? She engaged coaches that also look after her direct competitors. Up to that point she was looking good. Everything about her game was pretty strong. She got onto the green efficiently then drilled that putt. Drive for show, putt for dough.

Why is using coaches that also help direct competitors such a big issue? The answer is pretty simple. She's representing little New Zealand. NZ is a small country of only 4.5 million people that sits isolated and alone. No-one gets up in the morning to ask themselves what NZ thinks regarding anything. And to make matters worse, they're just a bit too good at a lot of things, like sport for instance. The clincher is that small NZ represents a tiny media market.

To be blunt about it; there are 100 reasons why NZ can be discounted and a few reasons why it should be counted and all of those reasons would be put forward by NZ. If this offends Kiwis, get over it, as it happens to be the fact of the matter.

Note that what I'm talking about is not a conscious scuppering of Lydia Ko's career. No, it is more likely unconscious bias. Think like this; if you have four people to work with, what is better. four inside the top 30 or three outside the top 20 and one at world number one? If you can't work that one out then you should never be in business. It is far better for the coach to have four in the top rank and fighting over one another to get to number one. It is certainly far more financially rewarding.

Why would Ms Ko choose such a disadvantage scenario? This is where you'll think I'm being racist: she forgot who she was representing. Or her parents forgot. They likely think they're Korean. In fact I'd be staggered if they didn't think that. But that's not who they represent. If they were representing Korea, there would be a strong incentive on the part of coaches to keep her at the top. The pay-off would be immense.

But with a NZ flag on her back, Lydia Ko does not bring big numbers with her. Any Kiwi out there on the world stage has to understand; they like you turning up and competing but they don't like you winning. If a judge or referee makes the decision then it can often go against you, so you have to put the result beyond doubt. In basketball terms I say you have to be better by 10 to win by two.

What is the answer for Lydia Ko? She has to ditch whatever game they've got her playing and go back to basics. Get the job done, and if that's boring then so be it. Bore the pants off everyone and win. Only use coaches that represent her, and no-one else. And you could add overall brand management to that as well. Any apparent conflict of interest and it must be ceased immediately, there can be no compromise.

Lexi Thompson and that Golf Ball

Lexi Thompson was penalised at the recent ANA Inspiration golf tournament. She moved her ball and for that she received a 2-shot penalty followed by a further 2-shots for signing an incorrect scorecard.

We are hearing sympathy from fellow players and a call to change the rules. I don't agree, the rules should stay exactly the way they are. I say this carefully, and here's why: golfers score themselves. So with that luxury and in order to balance things up, anyone can call foul on a shot. That's fair. Golfers honour the code.

Think about the the possible repercussions of a rule change. If only a select few can challenge, then self-scoring may lead to collusion between groups of players. Not every player is closely scrutinised, the game relies on their honesty. Consider situations where you're doing a round together with a friend on the tour, he's about to miss the cut, while you may challenge for the lead. On the back nine you may agree to cheat, so you can gain on the leaders and your mate may miss the cut. See?

If you're going to restrict who may challenge, then you need all scoring in the professional game to be refereed and scored, with only the referee able to say what the score was; then challenges may be restricted to rival players and other referees. That's like tennis, where they have an umpire, and linesmen, overall tournament referee and challenges from players.

So long as the golfers score themselves, then I say no way to professional golfers being scrutinised less. There is too much at stake for that to happen.