Caddy-Schmaddy: Ko Wins Again With Another Looper

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Luggage-toters have been on a trial basis for Lydia Ko, who has been through three already this year (well, four if you count dad picking up the bag for the final round last week, writes Ron Kroichick).

And it doesn't really seem to matter, as the 17-year-old overcame a three-stroke deficit to beat Stacy Lewis in an exciting first edition of the Swinging Skirt at Lake Merced. The unbylined AP game story. And Jerry Foltz's post-round interview with Ko, who continues shows remarkable poise for a teenager.

Most impressive is Ko's rationale for not committing to a caddy, if true. From Kroichick's item:

This week, she hired a local caddie in Domingo Jojola. He’s a former USF golfer and longtime junior member at Lake Merced, so he knows the course well. Jojola and Ko worked together two years ago, when she played in the U.S. Girls Junior at the club.

It’s a slippery slope Ko is traversing here, especially amid chatter about heavy parental involvement in the revolving door of caddies.

“I never really hired a caddie saying I wanted to go with that person for a whole year,” Ko said. “I don’t know what it’s like out here and I don’t know the majority of the courses. … I think it’ll take time to find somebody who will suit me.”

Kroichick detailed Sunday's stellar finish, with more comments from Jojola, and writes about Ko's clutch shot and birdie on 18 in the face of close third shots from Stacey Lewis and Jenny Shin.

If you watched the final round with that super finish at the par-5 18th, you saw how good Lake Merced and the tournament presentation looked on television. Kroichick Tweeted that despite rumors of a move overseas, the event will be back next year.