Lydia Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn will have something more in common when they resume their torrid duel for golf's world No.1 ranking at next week's Women's Australian Open.
New Zealander Ko has signed up with South African swing coach Gary Gilchrist after ending a three-year association with David Leadbetter when her form faded in the back end of last year.
A trial period with the Florida-based Gilchrist has convinced the 19-year-old world No.1 to join a stable already featuring world No.2 Jutanugarn and No.4 Shanshan Feng.
Nineteen-year-old Ko will start her 2017 season in the Women's Australian Open at Royal Adelaide after skipping the LPGA season-opening event in the Bahamas in January.
And she will be immediately thrust back into battle for the ranking top spot with 21-year-old Thai superstar Jutanugarn, who claimed five LPGA victories in 2016, including a maiden major at the Women's British Open, and Player of the Year honours.
Jutanugarn also trumped 14-time LPGA winner Ko by capturing the LPGA Tour's year-long points race title, the CME Globe, and the money list crown.
But Ko, who won four times in 2016 including a second major at the ANA Inspiration, is ready for the fight despite also switched clubs and hiring a new caddie, South African Gary Matthews.
She feels rested after spending all of December in her native South Korea, barely even sighting her clubs before linking with Gilchrist.
She says coach Gilchrist's simple, relaxed approach appealed immediately.
He focused primarily on her set-up to alleviate chinks in her long game.
"We didn't rip the swing apart and that was very important," she said.
"It's just more fluid. The swing may not look so different but, to me, it feels different. It's cleared up my mind."
"I feel I've learned about my game and it's been a good off-season.
"It almost takes me back to three years ago when I was a rookie. When you're a rookie on tour, everything's exciting. That's a similar mindset for this year too."
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