Teeing off to new heights

GIVEN that Lydia Ko was at the pinnacle of the amateur golfing world at the age of 14, many would have thought that she would make it to the top of the women's professional game - at some point of her life. But what has been extraordinary is the time in which she has now become the world's No 1 female golfer. Last week, the 17-year-old finished second in the Ladies Professional Golf Tour's (LPGA) Coates Golf Championship in Florida to go to the top of the rankings and hold a slim lead over previous world No 1 Inbee Park.

Korean-born New Zealander Ko also put her name firmly in the record books by becoming the youngest male or female professional golfer to become world No 1. Tiger Woods, previously the youngest golfer to reach No 1 was 21 years, five months and 16 days in 1997. Ko reached the mark three years, eight months and 14 days earlier.

While holding the title of the world's best amateur woman golfer in the world at the age of 14, Ko became the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event when she triumphed at the 2012 Women's NSW Open. She has eight professional wins to date and has also performed admirably in the majors, finishing second in the 2013 Evian Championship and third in last year's LPGA Championship. It was after the 2013 Evian event that Ko would turn pro in October 2013 - and she finished tied for 21st in her debut at the 2013 CME Group Titleholders.