It isn't great for her, but it makes us mere mortals feel better knowing that Lydia Ko is human.
Her substandard showing at the first major of the year, the ANA Inspiration in California, proves that she does get tired, can have an off day and doesn't always have a steady head and hand.
She finished tied for 51st, her worst finish in the 13 majors she has played. According to coach David Leadbetter, she was physically and mentally tired in California but Ko, like many teenagers, probably feels bulletproof and invincible at this stage.
It is no surprise that she doesn't treat her rest periods seriously and practises too intensely. She hasn't got to the age yet when exhaustion and pain hit her soon after, or sometimes even during, exertion.
Leadbetter and the rest of her support staff will have to rein in Ko's youthful enthusiasm and feeling of indestructibility. There will be a fine balance between easing back a bit while not resting on her laurels.
I know plenty of 18-year-olds that don't have the same mental and physical fortitude that she has demonstrated since storming on to the women's golfing circuit as both an amateur and professional, but fatigue comes in many forms, and it looks like Ko may have a bout of burnout.
We are seeing burnout in athletes at a much younger age these days as they get pushed into academies and elite programmes.
As a professional golfer whose rise to No1 has been meteoric, she has to deal not only with the mental and physical demands of her sport, but also the media attention, sponsor demands and duties, global travel, and constant reminders of records she has or is close to breaking.
Hopefully, Ko has had a well-earned rest and is ready to defend her Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic Title in Florida.(The name of this event annoys me. Do any of the female golfers still wear skirts that ''swing'' when they swing a golf club?)
Defending a title is often more mentally taxing than being the newcomer. She will need all the mental and physical fortitude she can muster.
Articles have talked about the high work ethic of Korean golfers and Leadbetter feels this should be admired but also monitored.
Of course, mentioning her cultural background and ethnic identity raises the debate again about whether Lydia Ko is Korean or Kiwi - as if individuals in this multicultural world that we live in cannot be both.
Ko is a third-culture kid (TCK), a modern term used to describe someone who has spent a significant part of their developmental years outside of their parents' culture.
TCKs integrate aspects of their birth culture (their first culture) and the new culture (their second) to create a unique third culture.
So, a combination of the work ethic associated with her Korean culture (first culture), and a mix of the laid-back, balanced approach of her Kiwi schooling years (second), could create a third-culture kid that is unstoppable.
We should stop trying to culturally compartmentalise people these days. It is possible to be influenced by a mixture of ethnicities, and people can have connections to a variety of cultures based on their life experiences, influences and adopted values.
Apparently, TCKs are four times more likely than non-TCKs to earn a bachelor's degree (Ko is already making headway in that part of her life), tend to work in professions such as education and medicine or self-employment, and are less likely to work for big businesses or government or follow their parents' career pathways.
They demonstrate high levels of cultural intelligence, are comfortable functioning in diverse cultural settings, are linguistically adept and, in their teens, are more mature than non-TCKs.
Ironically, they take longer to ''grow up'' in their 20s, can feel ''out of sync'' with their peers, and are more prone to depression than non-TCKs.
TCKs may lack a sense of conviction about where home is but are often nationalistic. There is no reason why Lydia Ko cannot be proud of being both Korean and Kiwi.
Ko is a highly capable young woman and athlete. She has a mature head on her shoulders but is also surrounded by her family and support staff who have her best interests at heart.
With support and guidance from both her Kiwi and Korean followers, this third-culture kid can continue to grow as a golfer and a young woman, and continue to put her culturally diverse and talented mark on the world.
