With all due respect to Young Tom Morris, we're declaring Lydia Ko the youngest major champ ever

Following Lydia Ko's triumph at the Evian Championship on Sunday, you may have noticed a couple variations of headlines trying to put the 18-year-old phenom's win in proper perspective.

Lydia Ko becomes youngest winner of an LPGA major

Lydia Ko becomes youngest major winner in modern era

Why the subtle distinctions and not simply Lydia Ko becomes youngest major winner ever? Because technically, she's not the youngest major winner ever. That honor belongs to Young Tom Morris, who won the British Open when he was only 17.

Impressive, no matter the circumstances -- but there are some circumstances involving that accomplishment that need to be addressed.

First off, Young Tom won in 1868. That's almost two decades before the world's first automobile was built and even longer before any of golf's other majors had even been created. In other words, it's tough to compare the feat to anything done in more modern times. The runner-up was his dad, Old Tom Morris, who he beat by three shots to claim half of the 12-pound prize pool. Ko beat Lexi Thompson by six shots to claim a first-place check of $487,500.