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World No 1 ranking achieved, Ko now eyes career Grand Slam

SINGAPORE - Lydia Ko loves K-pop group Big Bang, movies and playing tennis, but the 19-year-old is not your average teenager. The world No 1 Korean-born, New Zealand golfer has been blazing a trail on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour since 2012, when she was just a 14-year-old amateur.

Lydia Ko is eyeing a career Grand Slam. But in the meantime, she probably wouldn't mind adding this year's HSBC Women's Champions title to her resume too. Photo credit: HSBC Getty Images

Lydia Ko is eyeing a career Grand Slam. But in the meantime, she probably wouldn't mind adding this year's HSBC Women's Champions title to her resume too. Photo credit: HSBC Getty Images

SINGAPORE -  Lydia Ko loves K-pop group Big Bang, movies and playing tennis, but the 19-year-old is not your average teenager. The world No 1 Korean-born, New Zealand golfer has been blazing a trail on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour since 2012, when she was just a 14-year-old amateur.

Among the historic firsts notched in her young career, her biggest achievement was claiming the women's No 1 spot at the age of 17 years nine months eight days to become the youngest player - both male and female - to be ranked top of the world.

But Ko is not done yet. She is now eyeing a bigger target: Winning a career Grand Slam of five major titles, a feat that will put the two-time winner of the ANA Inspiration and Evian Championships among an elite group of golfers that includes legends Annika Sorenstam and Tiger Woods.

"I'm very fortunate with the things that have happened in my career," said Ko in a phone interview from Orlando, Florida, where she is based.

"My proudest moment was to represent New Zealand at the Olympics. I'm a huge sports fan so for me to be an athlete and Olympian now is something that I'm very proud of and to have been able to stand on the podium and getting a silver medal at the end of the week was an amazing experience.

"Results-wise, a grand slam is a pretty big goal of mine and a dream that I would love to be able to achieve."

Consistency in her game will be key if Ko wants to achieve her goal, particularly after a topsy-turvy 2016 season that saw her heading into a post-Olympics slump. After winning silver in Rio, Ko - who has won 14 titles on the LPGA Tour - failed to finish in the top 10 in five of her tournaments, and she placed T-40 and T-43 at two majors, the Ricoh Women's British Open and Evian Championships respectively.

Ko responded by making some big changes to her team and equipment. Last October, she fired caddie Jason Hamilton, before deciding to split from her instructors David Leadbetter and Sean Hogan last month.

While some may point to signs of an early burnout for the talented young golfer - players like Park Se Ri and Michelle Wie were victims of this - Ko is just focused on "embracing the moment" and  staying healthy for the journey ahead.

"It wasn't the greatest end to my season but overall it was a season for me to be proud of but obviously I have had a lot of changes," she said.

"Hopefully these changes are for the better. For now, I don't regret them and I respect the people I work with and i feel like have learnt more about my game and grown as a player and a person. This year I just want to stay positive and have a lot of fun."

Even with top players like Thai sensation Ariya Jutanugarn (2), Chun In Gee (South Korea), and American Lexi Thompson in hot pursuit, Ko is relishing the challenge and her time on the LPGA Tour.

Known for her effortless swing and steady temperament, Ko is also clear about what she wants to achieve at the end of her professional career - she had said previously that she would retire at 30.

She added: "Lorena Ochoa would be a good person - if I'm able to follow in what she's done for the game and how she played.

"I wish I could have seen her in person and not just through the television. Her time on the tour was just absolutely amazing, and what she did for golf in Mexico too is incredible. To do half of what she did...I would give myself an A-plus."

But for now, Ko is just sticking to a simpler goal for the New Year, as she said with a laugh: "My new year resolution is to use the phone less. That's a pretty big new year resolution for me because I'm a bit of a text freak!"

Ko will be in town in March to compete in the 10th edition of the HSBC Women's Champions at the new Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club (March 2 - 5). The world's top 10-ranked women's golfers will be among the 63-strong field competing in the US$1.5 million tournament, including Ariya, Chun, China's Feng Shanshan, and defending champion Jang Ha-Na of South Korea.

Visit www.hsbcgolf.com/womens for more information on the tournament

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