Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson sat next to each other during an LPGA Lotte Championship press conference Monday at Hoakalei Country Club.

Ko and Henderson have won the past three tournament titles and also are linked in a major way to the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship.

The Lotte Championship will be held Wednesday through Saturday at Hoakalei, the tournament’s third home in as many years.

Ko won the tournament last year at Kapolei Golf Club, while Henderson triumphed in 2018 and 2019 at Ko Olina Golf Club. The tournament wasn’t held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I love coming here to Hawaii and I was sad when they left Ko Olina, but at the same time this is a great golf course and I’m looking forward to the challenge of learning it and playing it over the next four days,” Henderson said.

Ko and Henderson were both 18 years old during the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship. Henderson shot a final-round 6-under-par 65 and Ko fired a 67 as both finished at 278. Henderson birdied the first extra hole to win her first major championship.

“Obviously, I wasn’t playing with Brooke, so I saw a lot of Brooke’s highlights and some of the shots she played were really amazing and even the second shot she hit into that first playoff hole to set up that birdie, it was really impressive,” Ko said.

Henderson said: “I’ve always admired Lydia. She’s been a huge inspiration for me, so to be in that playoff with her, at the time she was the world No. 1 and playing great golf, it was a special moment for me to win the playoff and win my first major. It was really incredible and it changed my life and my career.”

Ko’s Lotte victory in 2021 snapped a three-year winless streak on tour. The Korean-born New Zealander had won 13 tournaments, including two majors, from 2014 to 2018.

“The win gave me a lot of confidence and momentum,” Ko said. “I started off my season really well, so to win there was a confidence boost up for me and more proving it to myself that I could be back in that position again.”

Ko got off to a great start this year by winning January’s Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.

Henderson, of Ontario, Canada, is the only two-time winner in the 10-year history of the Lotte. She won both tournaments by four strokes.

“Obviously, I have great memories of this tournament,” Henderson said. “I’ve hoisted the trophy, so I’d love to be able to do that again.”

Ko and Henderson both feel the wind will be a factor at Hoakalei.

“I played a practice round early in the morning yesterday and everything. Like by 9 (a.m.) the wind was already picking it up,” Ko said. “I think it’s going to be pretty steady winds all week.”

Henderson added: the “main challenge will definitely be the wind,” and “the water is in play a lot more than any other course we’ve played here in Hawaii.”

The other player at the press conference was Nasa Hataoka, who won two tournaments last year.

“This is my fifth time visiting Hawaii,” she said. “I’ve always loved playing this tournament, especially there are lots of Japanese fans out here, so that’s a good motivation for me.”

Also part of the 144-player Lotte field is Punahou graduate Allisen Corpuz.

The Lotte is being played a week after the sport of golf gained great interest after Tiger Woods made a remarkable return at the Masters. The 15-time major winner hadn’t played since suffering serious leg injuries in a February 2021 car accident. He made the cut and finished in 47th place.

“Tiger is amazing. To have him make a comeback like that is just unbelievable,” Henderson said. “Just the performance and he brings all the fans and he makes our sport really popular, so anytime he’s in the field and competing, it’s great for our game — on the men’s side and the women’s side.”