Lydia Ko announced her early retirement in a fit of anger after being accused of cheating by Nelly Korda at the AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrew’s. Korda had criticized Ko’s playing style, which led to her receiving sanctions.
Ko added that she has experienced both high and low points from 2015 to 2024. During the good times, it was difficult for her to focus on anything else besides enjoying those fortunate moments. However, various occurrences took place during this time frame as well.
Conversely, during difficult times, it may seem like you will never escape the slump. I have personally experienced both scenarios. Although we are striving to perform at our best in the five major competitions, timing is a challenge that cannot be easily navigated; how can one predict when to peak? Consequently, all there is left to do is await for that opportune moment.
Ko initiated her resurgence in the year by winning at the Hilton Grand, which marked the beginning of the season.
In her first four events, she achieved three top-four finishes at the Vacations Tournament of Champions. However, she faced difficulties in the majors during 2024 until St Andrews came around.
After triumphing in Paris, Lydia Ko achieved Olympic gold and major glory just two weeks later with a memorable two-shot win at the AIG Women’s Open. Her victory on St Andrews’ iconic Old Course propelled her to become world No 3.
After capturing Olympic gold, Lydia Ko expressed her desire to win another major in her illustrious career. And true to form, she achieved that goal on the first attempt – making for a truly magical summer season akin to Cinderella’s story.
Fame. After securing a two-shot victory in Paris, Ko has made history by being the first golfer to earn all three Olympic medals. She had previously won silver at the 2016 Games in Rio and bronze in Tokyo. Additionally, her latest achievement also qualified her as the newest member of LPGA Hall of Fame.
The following week at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish, a warning was issued by the New Zealander.
Though previously open about her unsatisfactory performance at the AlG Women’s Open, she managed to make a historic comeback in the final women’s major tournament of the year and secure her coveted third major title after eight long years.
On the final day at St Andrews, Ko made an outstanding comeback by erasing a three-stroke deficit to secure a two-shot triumph. The win was incredibly special for both her and her husband, causing them to emotionally celebrate their victory at the Home of Golf. This accomplishment marked the most enchanting month in Ko’s golfing career thus far.
Ko, after her victory at the Old Course, said that the past few weeks had been insane. She was extremely pleased with an occurrence she thought could not be improved upon as it seemed too fantastic to believe.
“It goes without saying that being at the Old Course in St. Andrews makes everything much more remarkable and noteworthy. I have come to deeply appreciate the historical significance of this golf course, making it a truly enchanting experience for me. Honestly speaking, my euphoria is beyond words.”
At the age of 18 in 2015, Ko emerged as the victor at Evian Championship and went on to add Chevron Championship a year later. This achievement made her the youngest female golfer to secure two major titles; however, she was unable to replicate this success until recently when she held off stiff competition from Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and Jiyai Shin in Scotland.
