Best young golfer in the world?
Jordan Spieth?
Absolutely not.
This one’s not even close. It is Lydia Ko, beyond a doubt.
When you look at the work of the world’s No. 1-ranked female player, she’s notched 10 wins on the LPGA Tour faster than any woman who ever lived.
You can even bring the men into the equation. Not Jack Nicklaus, not Tiger Woods, not anyone has reached that “10” number faster than Ko.
She won the Fubon Taiwan title this past weekend for her 10th title. She didn’t just win it, she blew the rest of the field away, winning by a whopping nine shots, shooting 20-under par. And this is a young lady who hasn’t reached her 19th birthday.
Reaching No. 1 in the world was no big deal, she made it there as a 17-year-old. She played in her first LPGA event at age 14. She became the youngest woman to win a major a few months back when she captured the Evian.
Ko leads the LPGA in every statistical category that counts: official money, scoring average, Player of the Year points, top 10s and CME Globe points (women’s equivalent of FedEx Cup).
She is from New Zealand and her thoughts during her latest victory were with someone else. She dedicated victory No. 10 to the late Patsy Hankins, former New Zealand Golf President. “I think I was really playing for Patsy this week,” Ko said after she heard on Friday that Hankins had passed away. “She was such a huge factor in my life in junior golf,” Ko said. “I’m happy I can bring this win to her and her family.”
Impressive.
Ko is the rarest of rare talents and there’s no telling how many more records she is going to shatter before she’s done.
At this point in her life, she’s just getting warmed up.
Wow!
14 Comments
Byron
But let’s be honest, if she played the guys straight up, she would probably not even make the cut because the PGA Tour has become so much about the power hitters. The PGA courses are longer than the LPGA and the men obviously hit the ball 40 or 50 yards further on average. That’s why the world’s best female player ever, Anika Soremstam, didn’t even make the cut at the hand-picked, shortest PGA course/tournament that she attempted by sponsor’s exemption.
Ruben
Byron, what are you smoking? How are you going to compare this young lady with a young male golfer. What she has accomplished no one ever have done it and that includes men and women. Sure the lady’s courses are shorter, women are not developed like man and their bone structure is totally different and that is why we guys love them so much, if women were built like man there will be no fun to date and marry one. Use your common judgement my son.
Mike Ahern
Ruben,
You are spot on with your reply to Byron. Byron must be on another planet not to have figured that out by himself.
Women are inherently supposedly weaker and if you have ever stood next to a
female tennis pro or a golf pro, you would see that their swing speed is fast, very fast but they may lack some body weight to hit it 300+ yards like the men.
But have you looked at the size of those girls? Petite,, cute as buttons and most could model a bikini that even Byron might like.
Yea, I for one do not mind watching the lady golfers hit it 260 yards and then put their next shot 10′ from the pin.
Mike
rick
Apples and oranges,women and men. There is not a man on tour that can have a baby. The article was for the purpose of letting people know how GREAT this young lady is.
Symantha
Please did you really write that trash. Get a life. Women are playing the courses that they are capable of playing on, what real man would want to challenge a girl in the first place???? I believe when you are good at your sport no matter the course you are good. Do you play golf by any chance, if so are you playing in the forward tee box????
Mbwa Kali Sana
You guys BYRON ,RUBEN,MIKE , are probably to young to remember great LAURA DAVIES at her best .She was a formidable athlète who would smoke her drives as far as top pro men today.
OF course ,she had not the looks OF young tennis player KOURNIKOVA or nowadays SHARAPOVA but for POWER she was second to none !
Eddie Tate
I have always been a big fan of the women’s tour, and have nothing but a huge amount of respect for their abilities on so many levels. But to name Lydia Ko the greatest young player of all time just because of her 10 wins is ludicrous…sorry. Maybe she got to 10 faster than Tiger Woods, but once you factor in his USGA amateur record (3 junior amateur titles and 3 U.S. amateur titles) it really isn’t close. Be fair and honest and there is no argument to be made. She is a very, very good golfer, and one with a bright future, but she is no Tiger Woods with her accomplishments…no matter how impressive.
Juan
Sorry Eddie, Not sure if you realize that Tiger was 20 when he turned pro. If you want to include the USGA amature record. It would be 6 to her 10. Just an observation.
Symantha
What the heck are you rambling about, my goodness the best golfers are gracious and even in awe of what they can do. I have not seen this young lady toss a club; off the course she is the same person.
Please Tiger this. These young men you want to defend are a side show for what not to do, spitting, and swearing, tossing clubs, has nothing to do with the greatest game ever played and will never be master, what a sport.
Symantha
I only have one problem, with the women, I am sure I am not the only one.
The cloths that they wear do not belong on the course.
The men do look like gentlemen and are required to wear long pants, and no tank tops. Also if anyone is paying attention the camera men are having a field day following the young women players, as their sight seems to land on these young female players rear ends. Set standards for women dress code.
Hank
Quote from her bio:
“She began playing golf at age 5.
Ko took to golf immediately, and improved so quickly that by age 8 she was already competing in the under-19 division at junior golf tournaments. Her first significant tournament victory happened at age 11 when she won the 2009 North Island Women’s U19 Championship in New Zealand.”
Eddie what more do you want from an athlete………..at age 11 against full grown athlete women …..and now in her teens No 1 in the world.
I must agree that some of the women golfers are very attractive but because of their size their play must also be very technical and this is where i do most of my learning. Because of that I usually drive further than my much younger friends…..it is a treat to beat those much younger guys (I am 69)
rajan
I think Lydia’s accomplishments are impressive as are Tiger’s, Jack’s, Arno;d’s and Gary’s. The point is whether they are properly comparable. What kind of competition did they face. In the days of Arnie how many players had a realistic chance to win? Compare that with Tiger’s days and compare that with the field Lydia plays in. If the REAL number of players that had a chance to win was the same, then a comparison of achievements may make sense. Is there a way to make a fair comparison? A one eyed man is king in a world of the blind if you get my meaning of what a fair comparison is.Certain stats may help to make comparisons meaningful, not just wins. For example a player with the best stroke average would be expected to win more events but if there were more players close to their average, then their many wins would be more impressive. For sure having the best stroke average in the field is an achievement in itself but WINNING many events when the rest of the field is 10 strokes worse is not that impressive. So wins alone is not a good means of comparing achievements. Wonder if anyone has any thoughts on a proper comparison. Just my humble thoughts on the matter
The Woodie
Watching the women of the LPGA makes this old timer wish he could drive the ball as far as these women. Hitting a driver over 220 yards is a blessing. We old timers can learn more from watching the women than the men. I did,notice that some of the outfits are more like street walkers hawking for customers. The women from Japan, Korea, Thailand and China seem to be more modest in their outfits. Some outfits are absolutely amazing. Others think the shorter the outfit, the better.
Tom Edrington
I’m an Ariya Jutanugarn fan…..she knocks the living daylights out of it and is my pick for Player Of The Year over Lydia Ko.