BELLEAIR (Fla.) – Lydia Ko has completed her 10th LPGA season. The woman who won the CME Group Tour Championship’s postseason awards in 2017 will not be on the field in Naples, Florida to defend her title. The comeback of the former phenom in 2023 was a failure.
Ko’s struggles this year are the most shocking of all the LPGA success stories. Ko, who has not won on the LPGA in this season, finished 101st overall on the CME point list. Ko’s status will allow her to enter many events in the future, even though only the top 100 get full cards.
Ko, then 16, said she would not play beyond the age of 30, when she began her LPGA career. In the ten years since she began her LPGA career, Ko has won 19 LPGA titles including two majors and spent more than 100 weeks ranked No. Ko is well into her back nine. The two-time Olympic Medalist (silver & bronze) is looking to win gold in Paris next summer. She wants to be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She is two points short of the 27 required, so two regular-season victories or one major championship would be enough to get her in.
Was she affected by the pressure of reaching the Hall this year?
She replied, “I believe so.” If you had said no, that would be a lie.
Ko hasn’t decided when she will retire. She may retire next year after the Olympics, or she could win two more tournaments. She could be inspired by further success and decide to continue playing until she is 30.
She knows that she doesn’t wish to end up asking herself “What’s next?”
She said that she wanted to be sure she was not left behind when she retired from competitive golf.
Ko has spoken to retired athletes enough to know that an identity crisis can occur without a plan. She wants to have a plan in place so that she can leave the tour feeling like she has a new purpose. Lorena Ochoa is an example of how to retire properly, according to her.
Ko is certain that she wants to complete the psychology degree she began in South Korea eight years ago. She still has one year and a quarter left. She is married and lives in California. The idea of finishing her degree at Stanford appeals to her.
Ko once wanted to study the law. Not because she wanted become a lawyer but because she thought it was fascinating.
She said: “I’m interested in some of my courses, but I don’t think I can make money out of them.”
In August, at the LPGA event in Portland, Ko received some helpful advice from LPGA legend Juli Inkster. The Kiwi had not finished in the top 10 in February and her ball striking was in the lurch.
Inkster advised Ko to make it a goal to try to break par in every round. Ko had not broken par for nine rounds of the LPGA at that time.
Ko said, “It’s really helped me to understand the situation.”
Lydia Ko, a New Zealander, reacts to the second fairway as she walks on the Seowon Hills Course at Seowon Valley Country Club. (Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Si Woo Lee, Jin Young Ko’s instructor in swing, was Ko’s first contact the following month, just before the BMW Ladies Championship. Ko was able to play the BMW Ladies Championship on a sponsorship exemption, despite being the defending champion.
Lee was instrumental in her third-place finish, which she achieved in South Korea. She then followed that up with a shared 11 th result in Malaysia. Ko will play with Jason Day in the Grant Thornton Invitational, before heading off to the offseason. She feels that she has finally gained some momentum going into the winter break. Ko had felt as if she were stepping on quicksand and sinking farther away from her goal.
She’s still in a good spot despite all her heartache.
Ko expressed a perspective of the big picture that will serve her.
Ko had collected three Hall of Fame Points at the CME by this time last season: one point for her victory in the tournament in Naples, and two points for the Vare Trophy as well as Rolex Player of The Year. She earned five points in the past year to reach 25.
A lifelong dream that seemed so distant suddenly became within reach.
Ko is quick to remind us that it was not that long ago when she spent three years without winning a major tournament. Her last major win was at the 2016 ANA Inspiration, seven years ago. She knows that the challenge ahead is not only difficult but also doable.
She said, “I don’t remember what I did a week ago or even in 2016.” “A lot has changed.”
Ko is sure that no matter what happens in the future, she will not become a part time player. She will not hang around or stay if she doesn’t feel like giving her all.
She said: “I’m going to do this properly if I have to.” “I want to be able to move forward without regrets.”
