I don't know, but could it be related to the older *golden boy* and *golden girl*, a successful man and woman, respectively? Quotes from the OED, 2nd edition:

>   1937 C. Odets (title) The *golden
> boy.  Ibid. iii. i. 196 He walks down
> the street respected—the golden boy!  
> 
> 1964 ‘J. Welcome’ Hard to Handle viii.
> 91 Poor dear Richard.+ What a change
> from being the golden boy of English
> racing.  
> 
> 1965 P. Moyes Johnny under Ground xx.
> 250 That would have been the end of
> Beau Guest, the young chevalier, the
> golden boy.  
> 
> 1971 Sunday Times (Johannesburg) 28
> Mar. 24/1 Ever since he assumed the
> ‘golden boy’ mantle, Richards has
> studiously avoided local opposition.