Golf: Talented duo worked hard for top rankings

Lydia Ko. Photo / Brett Phibbs

First it was Cecilia Cho sitting top of the women's amateur golf world; now it's her friend and rival Lydia Ko who is No 1.

Ko moved to the top spot with her win in the New Zealand strokeplay event at Russley last Saturday, the day before her 14th birthday.

Pakuranga-based Cho, 2 1/2 years older, is now No 3 on the latest rankings, the pair being split by Japan's Mitsuki Katahira.

Ko, who plays out of the Pupuke club, reinforced her status by winning the national amateur title - the youngest player to do so - three days later.

On both occasions Cho was on her tail, finishing nine shots back in the strokeplay - and 10 clear of the third placegetter - and losing the matchplay final 4 and 3.

Daylight is third behind these two and the rest of the leading women players as they have carved up the main women's events of the summer.

"It just goes to show their hard work is paying off," said Ko's longtime coach Guy Wilson last night of the pair's ranking achievement.

"It's a bit of a cliche but the more work they put in the better they're going to get.

"They've got the talent through the hard work they've put in, and they're going to get the results."

Wilson, who has coached Ko since she walked into the pro shop at Pupuke with her mother at age 5, sets the bar high.

"I think she's got the talent to be world No 1," he said.

Wilson first thought that was possible two years ago. Unsurprisingly, nothing has happened since to change his view.

New Zealand's golfing knight, Sir Bob Charles, praised Ko's "fantastic achievement" in winning the strokeplay/matchplay double in Christchurch.

"I take my hat off to her," he said.