Is Ko better than Messi?

Lydia Ko and Lionel Messi have both been nominated for awards at the ESPY awards including the Best International Athlete category. Photo / AP.

Can Lydia Ko beat Lionel Messi?

The New Zealand golf phenom and world number two has been nominated for two awards at the ESPY awards including the Best International Athlete category.

Ko is the only female nominated for the award which also includes nominees Cristiano Ronaldo, Lewis Hamilton and Novak Djokovic.

Ko is also nominated for Best Female Golfer alongside current world number one Inbee Park and world number three Stacy Lewis.

The ESPY's, America's sport version of the Oscars, celebrate the best sporting achievements every year.

Previous winners of the Best International Athlete award include Messi, Ronaldo, Usain Bolt, Roger Federer and female golfer Lorena Ochoa.

In early 2015, Ko smashed the mark for being the youngest golfer to hold the world number one ranking. She achieved the feat aged 17 years and 167 days - Tiger Woods held the record at 21 years and 167 days while Korean Jiyai Shin was 22 when she became the top women's golfer in 2010.

Ko has held the number one spot for most of this year, relinquishing it in recent weeks to Park.

Her coach, David Leadbetter, had been surprised at the how fast Ko reached the top spot. He had not expected Ko to be so consistent early in her professional career.

She made headlines around the world and seasoned observers have been amazed at her ability to cope with the pressure - to emphasise that, she claimed the Australian Open title soon after reaching the No. 1 spot.

It's only in recent weeks that she has struggled to maintain such a hot pace. Ko also remains without a major title after disappointing performances in the first two this year.