Lydia Ko didn't win the inaugural Coates Golf Championship on Saturday, but she still made a golf first. Ko finished joint runner-up to Na Yeon Choi in the LPGA opener in Ocala, Fla., but the finish was good enough to assure Ko the top spot in the new Rolex Rankings.
The 17-year-old Kiwi will become the youngest player in the history of the game to ascend to the spot of either the Official World Golf Ranking or Rolex Rankings.
Early in the final round, Ko had a four-shot edge through two holes, but Ha Na Jang and Choi caught up over the course of the round. Nevertheless, Ko was tied for the lead with four holes to play. She then drained a 60-foot birdie putt at the 15th to take the lead when Choi bogeyed the same par 3. However, on the 17th hole, Ko made a double bogey, dropping from one ahead to one behind with a par 5 to play.
On the final hole, Ko's second shot wound up short and left of the intended target and left her with a semi-buried lie for her third shot. She expected a chunk shot but caught all ball, eventually getting up and down from the bunker beyond the hole for par and history. Choi tapped in for par and her first win since the 2012 CME Group Titleholders.
Tiger Woods is the youngest man to be ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, which started in 1986. Woods was 21 years, 167 days old when he became No. 1 for the first time on June 15, 1997.
The Rolex Rankings have only been in existence since 2006. Jiyai Shin was previously the youngest women's world No. 1, earning the top spot at 22 years, 5 days old. A year later, Yani Tseng became No. 1 at 22 years, 22 days old.
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