Golf: Ko relaxed before NZ Open

If Lydia Ko is feeling any pressure after being labelled the favourite for this week's New Zealand Women's Open, it certainly isn't showing.

The world No 1 amateur, who became the youngest winner of a professional golf event when she claimed the Bing Lee Samsung NSW Open last month, giggled her way through a media session today like it was a fun day out from school.

She handled all of the queries on her life and her love for golf with as much composure as she has shown on the course over the past month where she has made worldwide golf headlines with her performances.

In her likeable, down-to-earth manner, Ko doesn't really understand what the fuss is all about.

"I don't feel that I am 14 unless someone tells me and I don't feel like I am world No 1 unless someone says, `Oh my god, you are world No 1','' she laughed. "I don't really think about it. It is unconscious thinking.''

Ko has spent the past two years rewriting the record books in becoming the youngest winner of the New Zealand Stroke Play, New Zealand Amateur, Australian Amateur and a professional event (both men and women). Her incredible record is opening doors for her game to prosper and last week she accepted an invitation to play at next month's New Zealand PGA Championships at The Hills near Queenstown.

"I get to play better tournaments because I am world No 1 but, when I am out there playing in tournaments, I don't feel like I am anything special or the world No 1. I am just a golfer competing to try to win the tournament.''

In her previous two outings at the New Zealand Open, she tied for seventh in 2010 and was fourth last year at Pegasus. On the back of this record and her recent form when she finished in a share of 19th at the Australian Women's Open, Ko expects another strong showing. But she was surprised yesterday to learn the TAB labelled her as favourite.

"When I looked at the article I was like, `Woah, why me?' I guess people are getting more interest in me, and that is good. Hopefully I can come close. My first goal is to make the cut. I came fourth last year and that was a pretty good placing. I am hoping for a top 10.''

Ko has done well to not let her achievements go to her head but they

have taken a toll. The 14-year-old slept for most of the day after arriving in Christchurch from Melbourne on Monday morning and her preparations for this week's tournament have been about recharging as much as anything.

"I am really tired,'' she admitted. "I think I have been playing way too many tournaments. This is my fifth tournament in a row and it is a lot of golf.

"My first week was where I played the Australian Amateur which was eight days in a row and then 36 holes in the final. I am not mentally tired because of a lot of expectation on me but more physically tired from playing so much. But I am still enjoying it and I played good the past couple of weeks so when you play well you enjoy it.''

Ko will represent New Zealand at the Riversdale Cup after this weekend's tournament and then play an LET event in China before returning home for the New Zealand amateur tournaments.

She's in no hurry to turn professional and has a plan mapped out to do it in a few years' time. She wants to improve her game before turning professional but it's hard not to reflect on the fact she picked up only $1000 as the leading amateur at the Bing Lee Samsung NSW Open instead of $18,000 for winning the event.

So what would she be buy if she had $18,000?

"I'd buy a lot of dogs,'' she laughed.

It summed up Lydia Ko, the 14-year-old golfer.