18 years, four months and 20 days was the history-making age for Lydia Ko.
A 15-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole put an exclamation mark on the dominant six-shot win at the Evian Championship in France in September and made the Kiwi golfing superstar the youngest major winner in the history of the women's game.
It was a matter of when, not if, for Ko, who already had eight LPGA Tour and 12 overall professional wins to her name when she got the major monkey off her back.
It would seem mind boggling in most sporting situations and careers to be waiting for a teenager to win a sport's ultimate prize, but in Ko's situation it was inevitable. To back that up, relief seemed to be the over-riding emotion after completing the immaculate eight-under par 63 final round when she commented, ""Everyone won't be asking me when I'll win my first major because it's done."
Ko actually made the turn in the final round one shot behind American Lexi Thompson, who already had a major victory to her name. But, with three birdies in four holes, the Kiwi had grabbed the lead at the 13th tee and seemingly had an unflappable aura of confidence about her game. As if on cue, Thompson then triple-bogeyed the 14th hole, leaving Ko with a three-shot buffer and one she only continued to build in a domination similar to that of Tiger Woods in his prime.
