Orlando (AFP) - New Zealand teen star Lydia Ko became the youngest world number one in golf history despite squandering the lead and sharing second Saturday at the season-opening LPGA Coates Championship.
The South Korean-born prodigy took the top spot at 17 years, nine months and seven days to eclipse the age marks of US star Tiger Woods, who was 21 when he ascended to world number one for the first time in 1997, and South Korean Shin Ji-Yai, who was the youngest prior women's world number one at age 22 in 2010.
A double-bogey at the par-4 17th cost Ko the lead and South Korean Choi Na-Yeon won on 16-under 272 with Ko, South Korean Jang Ha-Na and American Jessica Korda sharing second on 273.
But it was still good enough for Ko to overtake South Korean Park In-Bee for the top ranking after Park shared 13th on 284.