She's a golfing superstar in her own right, she's made well over $3 million dollars in two years as a professional and she's broken more records than a wonky turntable, but, away from the successes and the spotlights, Lydia Ko is still just a teenager. And like all teenagers, the 18-year-old has her own pin-ups, favourites and idols.
The blustery surrounds of Ayrshire may seem like an unlikely place for the world No 2 to get all awe-struck and giddy but, ahead of this week's Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open here at Dundonald Links, Ko has already enjoyed a bit of star spotting of her own. And no, she wasn't oohing and aahing at the glamorous array of Scottish golf writers. The attention was fixed on Andrew Howard, a Hollywood actor who is one of a host of showbiz and sporty types competing alongside the professionals in this Pro-Am affair which is free to enter for those who want to come and watch some of the best in the women's game.
"I've seen him on TV, and to get to see him here is pretty cool," said Ko as she prepared for his first appearance in a Ladies European Tour event in its own continent. "I walked past him (Howard) yesterday, and I was like, 'do you look like what you are on TV, and I think yep'. I get very awe struck, even when I see PGA Tour players. I was at the US Open last year and Bill Haas said 'hello'. I didn't know what to do. It was really cool that he knew me. I try not to look at magazines that I'm in or on videos I'm in because I think my voice sounds weird when it's recorded. I try not to look at articles about me either. But I see everybody I see on TV. When I play on the LPGA Tour I've seen players on TV and in magazines and now I get to play with them and be beside them which is really cool."
Cool is a word that Ko uses a lot. Bloomin' parky might have been more appropriate as a chill wind whistled and whipped over the links. "It's cold, that's probably the biggest first impression," added the South Korean-born New Zealander of her first visit back to Scotland since she finished as the leading amateur in the Women's British Open at St Andrews in 2013.
In the two years that have passed, Ko has won five titles as a professional while she became the youngest player, both male or female, to top the world rankings. Next week, she will be one of the star attractions at the Ricoh Women's British Open at Turnberry and this stop off further up the A77 should get her into the swing of the links game again. "It's not going to be easy and certainly not 10 under-par every day," she said of a Dundonald course that will provide a robust examination. "I'll have to work hard and I'll have to change my game up a bit. I'll kind of try and think of my short game as if I was in Australia and playing somewhere like Royal Melbourne. It's similar techniques you need to use."
As a global force, Ko is well aware of the impact she can have on golf in her homeland. Like Scotland's Catriona Matthew, who has carried the saltire on the world stage with great authority and dignity down the years, Ko sees herself as a standard bearer, despite those tender years. "Catriona is a great person and has flown the Scottish flag with much pride," noted Ko. "I want to be a role model too because golf in New Zealand is not one of the big sports. Rugby, cricket; they are the dominant sports, but we've had great players throughout history like Sir Bob Charles and Michael Campbell and hopefully I can play my part in developing the junior game."
Alongside Ko, there will be plenty of attention focussed on another teen talent this week in the shape of Charley Hull. Since turning pro in 2013, the 19-year-old from Kettering has already played in a winning Solheim Cup team and topped the Ladies European Tour's order of merit last season. "It's been a bit of a blur to me," said Hull, as she reflected on her rapid hurtle up the golfing order which has now led to a place on the lucrative LPGA circuit. "I've kind of gone with the flow. Touch wood, my golf has kept getting better and better in that time."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article