Lydia Ko's first round is underway at the CME Group Titleholders event at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. No big deal – the 16-year-old has competed in 15 LPGA events the past two years, 11 this year alone. She's ranked No. 5 in the world. It's just another day on the course.
Only it is a big deal, because for the first time, Ko can walk with some money for her performance.
Born in South Korea but raised in New Zealand, the teenager opted to become a professional, and thus accept money and sponsorships, last month. She'll be a full-fledged LPGA Tour member starting in 2014, having been granted an exception to the tour's minimum age limit of 18, but she still earned her way into the LPGA season finale.