There are very few on the LPGA Tour who can compete with Lydia Ko in the short game. The Hall of Famer is absolutely clinical with the iron, wedge, and putter. That has helped her win numerous titles ever since she was an amateur. However, will that help her perform better than her male colleagues at Augusta National? She shared her views on the situation if she played the course 1000 yards less than the men.

Speaking on the We Need a Fourth podcast, Ko told the hosts, “I would say the men would still have a little bit more of an advantage. Even if they are teeing off from behind me and we hit it to the same spot on the fairway, the club that they will hit into the green will be a higher-lofted iron than myself. So the stopping power would be a huge advantage.”

She added, “I think I could make the cut. But the goal would be top-10. But the course conditions and the length of the clubs I come in with, it would be a little bit more difficult.”

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Considering the challenging setup of the course, Ko admitted that she might still be at a disadvantage despite teeing off from 1000 yards ahead. It doesn’t come as a surprise because it’s not easy to play at Augusta National, even if you play from a different driving zone. The course is designed to challenge one’s proficiency with the short game. Driving distance isn’t really the biggest concern for most.

But Ko was still confident that she would at least make the cut. And her goal for the major would be to finish inside the top-10. That’s not an easy feat to achieve even for the best players in the world. But the New Zealand legend has a particular advantage if she ever participates in the tournament.

How can Lydia Ko challenge the men in the Masters Tournament?

As mentioned, the iconic Masters Tournament course challenges a pro golfer’s ability with the irons, wedges, and putter. Fortunately, that’s the department that Lydia Ko has mastered throughout her career. The LPGA Tour star is known for her incredible short game prowess.

She has always been exceptionally accurate with the shorter-range clubs. Fans got a glimpse of her abilities recently during the 2026 Ford Championship, where she played with a new putter. Her incredibly precise strokes helped her shoot a flawless 12-under 60 in the first round. That gave her a dream start to the tournament. Unfortunately, she couldn’t capitalize on it and finished fourth at Whirlwind Golf Club.

Speaking of her experience at Augusta National, she hasn’t had many opportunities to play the course. The only event that gave women’s golfers a shot at playing at Augusta National is the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Unfortunately, the tournament was first introduced in 2019, long after Ko had already turned pro.

However, she was invited to play the course in March 2025, days before the Masters Tournament. And she ended up scoring 71 and 70 across the two rounds she played. A 3-under par would have been enough for her to make the cut in the official tournament. Especially considering that the cutline for the major last year was 1-under.

But in an interview with Golfweek‘s Beth Ann Nichols, she admitted that the course will “kick my butt” after her performance. Sadly, fans would never get to watch it as the Masters Tournament has always been a men-only major. So she might never get the opportunity to test herself in the event.