She won a national title at just nine years of age but England’s Charley Hull admits she struggles to feel an equal of fellow teenage star Lydia Ko.

Hull, who jumped out of a car booster seat to win the 2005 British Ladies National Championship, is one of several young guns rising to the top of women’s golf.

The 17-year-old, who will tee off on Thursday in the Australian Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast, enjoyed a fine rookie pro year in 2013 including playing in the first Solheim Cup triumph for Europe over the US on American soil.

But Hull, who claimed five second-place finishes in her first five tournaments as a professional, says New Zealand phenom Ko is someone she admires and looks up to despite being a year older than her.

The pair played together in the opening two rounds of last week’s New Zealand Women’s Open, with 16-year-old world No.4 and defending champion Ko eventually finishing runner-up in her second pro start.

“It’s really weird,” Hull said.

“When I play with Lydia I feel like I’ve been looking up to her for ages because she plays so good.

“It’s good to have young people on tour.”

Already the winner of two US LPGA Tour events as an amateur, Ko is not among the field for the Ladies Masters, though she will play in next week’s Australian Women’s Open.

But with eight-time winner Karrie Webb and former world No.1s Laura Davies and Yani Tseng in the field, Hull won’t have to search far for someone to admire over the next four days.

“I played in the British Masters last year with Karrie Webb and Laura Davies, my first round,” she said.

“We started on the 10th … the first ever hole I played with Karrie Webb I eagled it and I think I shot a four-under and a six-under when I played with her.

“I’m not playing with her this week but it’s awesome to be on the range and you look around at the players that you’re with.”