Golf: Ko may be forced to miss NZ Open

Lydia Ko. Photo / AP

Tilt at record for youngest major winner falls short as surgery on troublesome wrist looms for teenager.

When Lydia Ko's career is over the Kiwi golfer may have rewritten record books throughout the women's game but one thing she won't be able to say was that she was golf's youngest major winner.

Young Tom Morris, who won the 1868 Open Championship at 17 years, five months and eight days, will likely remain the holder of that particular milestone for some time.

Ko's last chance at the mark came at The Evian Championship -- the fifth and final major on the women's golf calendar -- but Ko, 17 years and four months, could manage only a share of eighth place in France yesterday. The North Shore player carded an even-par 71 during her final round as she finished at four-under, seven strokes back from winner Hyo Joo Kim (-11).

Ko has been troubled by a cyst in her wrist recently and although she had it drained before the Evian, her schedule for the rest of the LPGA Tour season is unclear.

Her management have confirmed she will need surgery to have the issue cleared up and that could occur later in the year.

The final event on the LPGA Tour will take place in late November.

After the Evian, Ko held on to her No3 world ranking, while she remained in third place on the CME Globe Standings, which is the season-long points race on the LPGA Tour.

Ko's impending surgery may put a question mark over her playing in next year's New Zealand Women's Open at Clearwater in Christchurch.

The dates for the 2015 event will likely be confirmed this month and it's understood the tournament may be held in late February.

This year's tournament -- where Ko finished second -- was held in early February.

If Ko was to have surgery in December and had any complications with her recovery, an appearance at Clearwater could be in doubt given that the procedure was expected to put her out of golf for two months.

The teenager is the main attraction at the tournament and huge crowds followed her during the final round of this year's event.