Lydia Ko displays a mature demeanor despite being just 14-years old
2/9/2012 | by Golfweek
Golfweek's Julie Williams catches up with the 14-year-old sensation
By Julie Williams | Follow on Twitter @GolfweekJules
A phone conversation doesn’t do justice to Lydia Ko’s personality. Ko is your atypical witty, dry, thoughtful and driven adolescent, but at 5 p.m. on a Saturday in New Zealand (yes, that’s 3 a.m. Saturday EST), Ko’s thick Kiwi accent comes across the line as all business.
For all intents and purposes, the 14-year-old Ko has just stepped out of “the office.” After shooting a third-round 69 at the Australian Ladies Masters in Queensland, she laughs a little at the suggestion that a flawless final round could bump her into contention. She trailed leader So Yeon Ryu by 12 after Round 3, and eventually finished in a tie for 32nd, the low amateur.
Ko entered the event a week after winning her first professional title at the New South Wales Open. It made her the youngest winner of a professional golf tournament in history. Ko, the top-ranked amateur in the world, dethroned Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa for that distinction.
“I don’t even know if it has sunk in or not,” Ko said. “It was a great feeling, just coming off the 18th and knowing that I won was just awesome.”
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s originalLoading latest news...