At16,Lydia Ko turns pro via youtube

October 28, 2013. New Zealand’s sensation, 16-year-old golfer Lydia Ko chose to turn pro by announcing the decision in an unprecedented manner by posting a You Tube video.

Ranked No. 4, her decision came after foregoing more than $1 million in potential prize money. Ko tweeted her decision on Wednesday, saying she made up her mind after taking advice from rugby player Israel Dagg.

Ko’s post on Twitter said: “made a monumental decision today with a little help from my @AllBlacks friend @Izzy—Dagg #LOVEGolf.”

New Zealand Golf chief executive Dean Murphy confirmed Ko’s decision, saying the golfer “was reluctant to hold a traditional press conference” because she “didn’t want to make a big fuss about news that had already been reported in the media in recent weeks.”

“This is a very momentous day for Lydia and we are so thrilled that she has chosen such a unique and entertaining way to share her news with her fans today,” Murphy said to AP. “She has also been very busy studying for exams and wanted to make this announcement in a different way,” He spoke to AP.

The LPGA Tour had confirmed Oct. 10 that it received a petition from Ko asking that it waive its minimum age requirement of 18.

South Korea born Ko moved to New Zealand with her parents and took up golf at age 5. She first took lessons at Auckland’s Pupuke Golf Club from professional Guy Wilson, who has been her coach ever since.

Teenage star was the world’s leading female amateur in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and became the youngest person, male or female, to win a professional tournament when she won the 2012 New South Wales Open at the age of 14. That record has since been broken.

Ko holds a distinction of being the youngest winner of an LPGA tournament at 15 when she won the 2012 Canadian Open, a title she defended this year. She has yet to miss a cut in 23 professional tournaments.

After finishing runner-up at the Evian Championships in France in July, Ko hinted that she would be turning professional but said she wished to complete exams before making any announcement.

She will begin her professional career from the LPGA’s season-ending event in Florida.

Murphy added that said Ko’s career as an amateur “has been phenomenal.” And that record is unlikely to be matched by 16-year-old ever.