Dame Lydia Ko to headline returning New Zealand Women's Open

Tuesday, 14 July 2026

Lydia Ko competes at the New Zealand Women's Open in 2017 at Auckland’s Windross Farm, the last time the event was staged.

Dame Lydia Ko will be the marquee attraction when the New Zealand Women’s Open returns for the first time in a decade in March.

The Kiwi golf superstar will feature in what looms as a world-class field for the tournament at Auckland’s Wainui Golf and Function Centre from March 18-21. It will be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour (LET) and WPGA Tour of Australasia.

New Zealand Major Events and Auckland Council Events were critical in bringing the tournament back for the first time since 2017. New Zealand Major Events have helped attract some leading sports events to the country already, including State of Origin, Chelsea women to Auckland, Supercars, the British and Irish Lions Women’s series in 2027, and the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland.

A welcome event on March 16 and a Pro-Am on 17 March will open the tournament week with four days of championship golf to follow.

The championship will feature a 132-player field competing for a purse of $808,000 NZD. Golf New Zealand have secured places in the field for some of New Zealand’s very best young amateurs and professionals, who are not already exempt, including the winner of the New Zealand Maori Golf Association Nationals Wahine title.

“Playing in front of a home crowd in New Zealand is always something really special to me and I'm thrilled the New Zealand Women's Open is back. I grew up on the North Shore, so to have an event of this calibre at Wainui, just up the road, makes it feel even more like home,” Ko said in a statement.

Now in her 13th season, Ko has notched 23 LPGA career wins, including three majors.

This could be the last chance for New Zealand golf fans to see Ko play live with the 29-year-old having indicated her career was unlikely to extend beyond the 2027 LPGA season. Ko, the women’s world No 11, has long signalled she would call it a day when she was 30, which she will turn on April 24 next year.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson claimed the title the last time the New Zealand Women’s Golf Open was contested in 2017 at Auckland’s Windross Farm. Ko finished tied for 22nd at five-under in a weather affected finish, which was wrecked by heavy squalls and high winds.

Ko first took out the tournament in 2013 as a 15-year-old amateur at Christchurch’s Clearwarter Golf Club for her third professional win, beating American Amelia Lewis by one stroke. She also won the event in 2015 and 2016, contested at Clearwater too.

WPGA Tour of Australasia chief executive Karen Lunn welcomed the announcement.

“It is going to be such a great treat for our members to return to Auckland to compete in the tournament next year, and in particular for them to have the opportunity to play alongside Lydia and a quality field of international players from the Ladies European Tour.”