Teen sensation set for lengthy reign.

Coach says teen will be hard to knock off top spot

IT TOOK just four days of the new season for Lydia Ko to knock off one of the two peaks in world golf she was yet to conquer.

And the speed of her ascent to the world No 1 ranking came as a surprise to even her coach who believes now she’s at the top, she could be hard to dislodge.

‘‘She’s been there or thereabouts for a while and if she carries on like that she could be there for a very long time,’’ David Leadbetter said.

‘‘I guess if she finishes down the field next week in the Bahamas and Inbee [ Park] wins then it could switch back, but apart from that I think Lydia could be there for sometime.’’

Leadbetter said he was surprised at Ko’s 2014 consistency and blown away she managed to get to No 1 in the world just 14-months after joining the LPGA Tour.

The 17-year-old rose to the top spot courtesy of her second-placed finish in yesterday’s LPGA Tour season-opening Coates Golf Championship in Florida.

Ko fired a one-under 71 to finish 15-under and one back from Korea’s Na Yeon Choi and wasn’t initially aware she had risen to the top of the rankings.

She walked off the 18th disappointed at not winning, having earlier held a four-shot lead after three holes and a one-shot advantage through 15 where she sunk a monster 70-foot birdie putt.

When Leadbetter and Ko’s handlers told her about replacing Park at No 1, she was still too annoyed to enjoy the news, the coach said.

Ko, who won last year’s seasonending Tour championship, was chasing her sixth LPGA Tour win.

But she cheered up as the day wore on. ‘‘She’s very happy, there’s no denying it, but she’s a little miffed at herself for not winning the tournament,’’ Leadbetter said.

She is now, easily, the youngest golfer to hold the world No 1 ranking and beat Tiger Woods’ record of 21 years and 167 days by nearly four years.

‘‘There’s obviously a loss but at the same time there was a positive too. It’s a huge honour to have my name next to that No 1,’’ Ko said.

‘‘I was more focusing on this tournament itself but I got a great outcome at the end of the day, too. So there’s defi- nitely something to celebrate.’’ Leadbetter was more excited. ‘‘What an achievement. To be the youngest ever. It’s amazing. It’s an amazing feat and one New Zealand should be really, really proud of.

‘‘There’s no reason that now she’s there, she can’t stay there for a very long time.

‘‘I’ve always said she could have an Annika-type career,’’ he added, comparing Ko to former World No 1 Annika So¨renstam.

‘‘She won 70-odd LPGA tournaments and 10 majors and Lydia, with what she’s done already could well do that before she gives up the game, even if it is at 30 like she’s talked about.’’

Had Ko not climbed to the top of the women’s golfing world, this event would have been seen as one that got away.

She led with two holes to play before making her only double bogey of the tournament. She mishit her drive, played sideways out of the bunker into trees and, after a poor approach, sunk a 12-foot putt for double.

‘‘She was miffed afterwards, but I said to her, ‘if you’re going to put yourself in contention so often, there are going to be times when you don’t win’,’’ Leadbetter said.

‘‘She understood. She’s clever and she knows there will be plenty more opportunities.’’

All Ko needs now is a major.