Lydia Ko adjusting to life as golf No.1

Lydia Ko says it was "pretty awesome" to receive a congratulatory tweet from Lorde on becoming the No.1-ranked female golfer in the world.

Lydia Ko might be golf's youngest-ever world No.1, but she has shown she can be a star-struck fan herself.

Ko rates the message from fellow New Zealand teenager Lorde as being particularly special among the many congratulations she has received this week after taking over the top women's spot at just 17.

"She was Billboard No.1 with her song Royals and I'm a huge fan or her music," she said.

"She sent me a tweet and she's like, 'congratulations, very proud'.

"I was like, 'oh my God,'. For somebody of that status to give me a tweet like was pretty awesome."

Actor Don Cheadle was also among those to get in touch.

However, Ko is also trying to block out distractions as she prepares for her first event as No.1, this week's Bahamas LPGA Classic.

Others to have held top spot have talked about the change in mindset that happens with assuming that status.

Ko, who took over from South Korean Inbee Park after tying for second in the season-opening Coates Championship in Florida last weekend, says it's a huge honour but she's looking to maintain her focus.

She said one of the best pieces of advice she had received came from American Stacy Lewis, a former No.1 now ranked third in the world.

"She said: `Just concentrate on your game, it's pretty awesome to be there, you're playing good golf and just don't worry about everything else that goes on'.

"That was really cool for me to have somebody like her to tell me that kind of thing. It really went into my heart and I really want to thank her."

Ko is into her second season on the Tour, after a rookie year that included three victories to add to the two LPGA titles she won as an amateur.

She said the biggest change for her this season is the difference that comes from wearing contact lenses rather than glasses.

"Just visually, everything to me looks a little larger," she said.

As for whether reaching No.1 had altered her goals for 2015, she said it was a case of taking one week at a time.

"You just never know what's going to happen," she said.

"It was an awesome rookie season last year, so to say that I want to have more top-10s, more wins - that would be kind of a little greedy in a way.

"I just want to pace myself and enjoy being on the tour for the second year."


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