Countdown may be on but Lydia Ko’s not worried about setting all-time wins record

Lydia Ko has shattered just about every age-related record in golf and has already earned six LPGA career victories even though she will be 17 for another month. But, as with Tiger Woods when he was winning an astounding share of the PGA Tour events he started, Lydia watchers are projecting incredible feats for her before she even turns 18.

Of course, with a 6-under 66 to tie for the first-round lead of the JTBC Founders Cup on Thursday, the world No. 1 who has yet to miss a cut on tour could well be on her way to tour victory No. 7. That would be her 10th worldwide W.

So it was not particularly surprising that talk turned, during her post-round press conference, to LPGA legend Kathy Whitworth’s all-time mark of 88 tour triumphs.

Seems that after Ko won the Women’s Australian Open in February, she received a congratulatory tweet from six-time major champion Patty Sheehan asking her if she knew who Kathy Whitworth was.

She may be of very tender years, but Ko let the scribes gathered in Phoenix for this week’s tournament know that she was also a student of LPGA history.

“I’ve got 82 more to reach there,” Ko said with a laugh, referring to Whitworth’s career wins -- more than any golfer of either gender. “But it’s a long way to go and I say I would like to retire when I’m 30, and I don’t know how it all divides and how many I need to do.”

(Our eyes glazed over when we started doing the math but suffice it to say, Ko would have to win a ton of games in unprecedented bunches over those 17 years to come close to the pace set by Whitworth. Between 1962 and 1985, the World Golf Hall of Famer won an astonishing 10 times in 1968, nine times in 1966, eight times in three different years, and seven times twice. Sam Snead, by the way, owns the men’s record of 82 wins, with Woods second at 79.)

Ko also reminded everyone that, just as she does on the course, she follows the golfer’s mantra when it comes to chalking up Ws.

“They have got such amazing records and they feel so far away,” Ko said. “I’m trying to concentrate on one tournament at a time and that’s all I can do. It’s just hard to be those kind of people. I’ve still got a lot to work on my game to get even halfway near their record.”

Of course, 30 is a long way away and Ko may change her mind in the intervening 13 years. After all, when she first announced her retirement plans, she figured she would go into psychology.

Thursday, though, just about any post-golf career was possible.

“I don’t know, I always found like media, broadcasting very interesting, and I’m starting psychology [at Korea University]. There’s so many different things,” she said. “I love watching the Food Channel, so I might go that direction. But you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

One future endeavor Ko was as certain as a teenager could be that she would not pursue was her current vocation.

“I’m pretty sure it’s going to be exciting,” she said. “It’s definitely going to be different to golf, I think.”

Then again, the best-laid plans ...

“Yeah, still 13 years, I think it’s a long time [until she turns 30]. I played golf 12 years, so I think 25 years is a long time to devote to one sport,” said the grizzled teenager. “But I don’t know, my thought may change when I get closer to that age. But right now, I’m going to enjoy myself being a 17-year-old.”