Lydia Ko breaks age record at New South Wales Open
Lydia Ko
SYDNEY, Australia (Jan 30, 2012) -- SYDNEY – Fourteen-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko has become the youngest winner of a professional golf tour event, taking the women’s New South Wales Open by four strokes Sunday.
Ko, the world’s top amateur, broke Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa’s mark of 15 years, 8 months, and Korea native Amy Yang’s women’s record of 16 years, 192 days in the Australian Ladies Masters.
The South Korean-born New Zealander shot a 3-under-par final round of 69 to finish 14 under for the tournament, four strokes clear of Becky Morgan of Wales in the 54-hole tournament at Oatlands Golf Club.
Britain’s Laura Davies closed with a 71 and a 54-hole total of 216, 14 strokes behind.
“To be part of history is like a miracle,” Ko said. “It’s not something you can have by clicking your fingers.”
“My driver and iron play were probably the nicest to me over the past two days,” Ko added. “I also putted well, but I was in good position on most of the greens because I was able to make approaches from good places on the fairways.”
ABOUT THE Australian Women's Amateur
The Australian Men's and Women's Amateur
Championships are Australia's
oldest Amateur Golf Championships, with both having
been played since 1894.
Long held as a match play event, in 2021 the format
changed to 72 holes of
stroke play.
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