Supreme Teen

Growing up in Ko's world however, it was all she knew. Yet while she is reaping the rewards from an early start in the game, approaching the unpredictable later teenage years is an issue closely monitored by Wilson and his team.

"The strength thing is an issue but that will come in time," says Wilson in reference to Ko’s relative lack of distance. As a result he has assigned Ko to leading high performance golf conditioning coach Jay Harrison.

Tasked with implementing strength work into Ko's training, Harrison's role of turning growing pains into physical gains is a method Wilson claims is going to plan.

"Lydia's physical development program is going well," he says. "But it is very difficult to be able to strengthen the body safely when it is still growing."

Ko's dearth of physical strength seemingly has little bearing on the end product however, with the strongest part of her game coming off the tee.

"Lydia’s main strength is in her driving and ball flight control for sure," says Wilson, speaking after Ko fired a seven-under 65 in the first round of the Women’s British Open at St Andrews, the Home of Golf. "She will very rarely miss the fairway and if she does, she will not be far from it.

"Her accuracy is as good as any on the Tour but the key for us is to establish the length from the green and what is required from the distance to the hole."

Getting to the green is one thing for Ko, but finishing the job is a different matter entirely.

"Lydia needs to keep working on her putting," Wilson says. "When you get to the elite level putting is crucial.”

Indeed, it was a series of missed short putts during the final round of last month’s Evian Championship in France that denied the Kiwi a maiden major title. In the end Ko finished two shots behind the winner, Norway’s Suzann Pettersen.

Ko underwent an intensive six-week training program last year with many major changes to her game; a move Wilson believes has ensured progress from tee to green.

"We primarily altered her swing and grip positions to allow her to be safer to injury given the amount of golf she plays," he says. "The body is placed in dangerous positions on a daily basis so it is a matter of longevity and ensuring she is protected.

"If she continued in her old style, she would suffer serious injuries five years down the line so they needed to be made."

Five years down the little is an exciting place to picture Ko, who continues to face questions regarding when she will ditch the amateur scene and turn professional.

"More of the same," insists Wilson, happy to keep a lid on any brimming speculation regarding Ko's future plans. "The main goal is to commit to the professional events that I doubt no one has been offered before as an amateur.

"Because of her age and skill level, tournament organisers see her as much as a draw card as a top 10 player ... people can relate to an amateur more than they can than a professional.”

After all, a smile says a thousand words.

Lydia Ko Profile

Date of birth: 24 April 1997
Place of birth: Seoul, South Korea
Amateur wins: 2011 – Australian Women’s Amateur Strokeplay, New Zealand Women’s Amateur Strokeplay, New Zealand Amateur Matchplay; 2012 – Australian Women’s Amateur, US Women’s Amateur, World Women’s Amateur (top individual)
Professional wins: 4 – including the Canadian Women’s Open (2012 and 2013)
Major record: 2nd at the Evian Championship (2013)
World ranking: 1 (Amateur), 5 (Professional)