After third-place finish, Ko discusses her future

Teenage golfing sensation Lydia Ko says she will turn professional in a couple of years after the 15-year-old New Zealander finished third in the women’s Australian Open on Sunday.

“I’ve got a couple of years until I turn pro so I guess within that period hopefully I’ll be able to get a little bit better,” South Korean-born Ko told reporters at the Royal Canberra Golf Club.

Ko hopes to improve her putting and the mental side of the game while still an amateur.

“I always think putting is the biggest part of the game and also the psychology part, so those are the two things I would like to build up,” added Ko, who finished behind British Open champion Shin Ji-yai and world number one Yani Tseng.

Last Sunday, Ko became the youngest winner of a women’s European Tour event when she took victory at the New Zealand Women’s Open in Christchurch.

She had already become the youngest winner of a pro event aged 14 in January 2012 and the youngest Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour winner in August.

Reuters