A decade after the national championship disappeared, the former world No.1 says its revival presents a significant opportunity to continue golf's rapid growth in New Zealand while inspiring the next generation to dream of following in her footsteps.

Speaking ahead of the AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham, Ko admitted she is eagerly anticipating a return to an event that helped launch her remarkable career.

"Amelia Garvey and I were talking about it in the bathroom like not even 30 minutes ago," Ko told GA Magazine.

"She's super excited for it. I'm super excited for it.

"I do think this is an opportunity for more growth in golf, and especially for junior girls in New Zealand."

The New Zealand Women's Open played a pivotal role in Ko's rise, with the Kiwi winning the championship as a teenage amateur in 2013 before successfully defending the title the following year.

Now, with a decorated career that includes multiple major championships, Olympic gold, silver and bronze and Hall of Fame status, Ko hopes the tournament can have the same impact on young New Zealand golfers.

"I still think that rugby and cricket are some of the bigger sports.

“I feel like, especially with Foxy's win as well and with the popularity of the sport itself, kind of since COVID, there has been a lot of growth," she added.

"To have a national Open, I think, is so important. Most of us play overseas 99 per cent of the time, so for us to come back to a national Open, I think we take pride in that.

"The junior girls or boys that come out and watch us play; they're going to be inspired and want to play in the 2030-something New Zealand Women's Open."

The championship will also mark a sort of full-circle moment for Ko, who smiles at how much has changed since she first burst onto the professional scene.

"I'm excited for it to be back. It's been too long in that sense," she said.

"But I feel a little bit older than the last time I played, and even during the times that I won, because I won pretty early in my career.

"So, it's going to be weird because I used to be the young one where all the veterans were like, who is this 15-year-old? Now I'm like, who is this 12-year-old teeing it up? It's a little bit of a different position."

Back then, Ko remembers being inspired by sharing fairways with some of the game's biggest names.

"I do think this is an opportunity for more growth in golf, and especially for junior girls in New Zealand." - Lydia Ko.

"I thought it was just the coolest thing to be in the same field as players like Dame Laura Davies," she said.

"Hopefully, I can have that kind of effect for the future generations, too."

Looking back, Ko believes her victories in New Zealand were instrumental in preparing her for life on the LPGA Tour, even if nothing can fully replicate the demands of professional golf.

"I was fortunate enough that the year before [her maiden NZ Open win], I was an LPGA member, I had 12 starts," Ko said.

"I was able to get 12 starts on the LPGA and a few LET events. Those were really good opportunities for me to get used to being on Tour and what it's like playing on Tour week in, week out.

"I think no matter how much you prepare, you're never fully prepared for Tour life, but I think having those kind of opportunities made me feel like these players that I had seen on TV were not as distant."

Ko admitted there was pressure accompanying those early appearances, but says the experience proved invaluable as she established herself among the world's best.

"There was a lot of pressure, but I think winning the first one was obviously a little easier for the next one, and Christchurch ended up becoming a pretty special place for me."