Ko had her best finish for the season at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii at the weekend, where she fired an eight under 64 final round to climb into a share of second place, three strokes behind winner Cristie Kerr. It was her fourth top-10 result of the year, but she is still yet to record a victory since the Marathon Classic last July.

The Kiwi’s management team confirmed after the Hawaii event that Ko was splitting with South African caddie Gary Matthews after just nine tournaments together.

Ko and Matthews working together at the HSBC Champions last month. PHOTO: Getty Images

Matthews was hired at the beginning of the season after Ko made a host of changes including her equipment, coach and caddie.

The caddie she sacked in favour of Matthews was Australian Justin Hamilton, who was on the bag for 10 of Ko's 14 LPGA Tour victories, including both major wins.

Hamilton and Matthews follow a long line of caddies that have been hired and fired by the 19-year-old since she turned pro in 2014. When she tees it up in the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout on April 27 she will have her 10th caddie in three years on the bag.