In 2003, at the Pupuke Golf Club near Auckland, New Zealand, a young Asian woman entered the pro shop, holding the hand of her six-year-old daughter, and asked for lessons. Guy Wilson, the 22-year-old head professional at the time, declined.
The little girl was so small that she couldn’t even see over the counter, and she didn’t speak English. She had brought along a golf club that belonged to a relative, but it was far too large—her driver was taller than she was.
This could be the beginning of the chronicle of Lydia Ko, who, on August 11, won a gold medal in women’s golf at the Paris Olympics, marking her entry into the Hall of Fame.
Lydia Ko’s journey is like a fairy tale. Born as the result of her grandmother’s insistence to her son to have another child to keep the first from feeling lonely, Lydia was six years younger than her sister. (Lydia’s Korean name is Bo Gyung.)
At age five, she picked up a golf club for the first time and showed a natural talent. Her family moved to New Zealand, where she could practice on real grass, and that was when she first met Wilson, who eventually agreed to coach her. Although he quickly grew fond of Lydia for her bright personality and talent, Wilson could never have anticipated the incredible story that would unfold.
The following year, Lydia entered a local tournament, finishing in last place. It was expected; after all, she was a seven-year-old competing in an adult tournament. The winner that day was Sharon Ahn, also known by her Korean name Ahn Shin-ae, a 14-year-old golfer whom 7-year-old Lydia looked up to and followed around for a while, eager to learn from her.
Michael Donaldson, a New Zealand journalist and author of “Lydia Ko: Portrait of a teen golfing sensation” wrote that in the early 2000s, Sharon Ahn, Cecilia Cho (Cho Jeong-min), and Lydia Ko all emerged as top players. Although all three worked hard and reached the highest levels, Lydia Ko was unique. She trained relentlessly, making use of every available moment, from early mornings to late evenings.
In April 2012, at the LPGA Lotte Championship in Hawaii, Lydia, then a teenager with large glasses, practiced bunker shots under the blazing sun. When a reporter remarked on the tough conditions, Lydia wiped her sweat and greeted him with a bright smile.
Lydia Ko played alongside Hyo-joo Kim and Ariya Jutanugarn that day, all teenage junior amateurs. While Lydia had the worst score on the first day, she ended up with the best final result, finishing fourth in her first professional tournament.
Lydia’s chronicle is filled with brilliant players. That fall, she became the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA Tour event at the Canadian Open. Shin Ji-yai, the top player at the time, played alongside Lydia in the final group and later remarked on how impressed she was by Lydia’s composure, even under pressure.
Lydia Ko set a series of “youngest ever” records, including the youngest LPGA winner, youngest major champion, and youngest to achieve 10 wins and world number one ranking. In 2014, at just 17, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. In 2015, her rivalry with Inbee Park, where both won five tournaments each, was one of the most thrilling duels in LPGA Tour history.
However, Lydia struggled in her twenties, facing a slump. The once perpetually positive and optimistic Lydia seemed to open Pandora’s box of fears as she matured. She couldn’t even secure top 10 finishes, something she used to do with ease. In 2020, at the Marathon Classic, she lost a five-stroke lead with six holes to go, leading some to wonder if her career was over.
But Lydia found her “Prince Charming.” In 2022, she made a comeback with three victories, coinciding with when she began dating. Later that year, she married Chung Jun, the son of Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young.
When I met Lydia after her wedding, she said, “My husband loves me not as the golfer Lydia Ko, but as the person Ko Bo Gyung. He encourages me regardless of how I perform, and that has been a great source of strength.”
During her slump, Lydia had nearly given up on entering the Hall of Fame. However, after meeting her prince, her performance improved, bringing the Hall of Fame back within reach.
The LPGA Tour is considered one of the hardest leagues to enter the Hall of Fame, with only 27 members in its 70-year history.
At the start of this year, Lydia won the season opener, coming within one point of Hall of Fame induction. Yet, the final step was difficult. She lost a three-stroke lead with two holes to play at the Drive On Championship due to Nelly Korda’s miraculous eagle, and she couldn’t convert a lead into a win at the Blue Bay LPGA in March, dampening her momentum.
Lydia Ko was contemplating retirement. Although it was not her first choice, her family reassured her that retiring without making it into the Hall of Fame wouldn’t be the worst outcome.
Lydia Ko has a deep affection for the Olympics. Reflecting on her first Olympic experience in 2016, she said, “I felt like crying, but as the silver medalist, I couldn’t, because the gold medalist, Inbee Park, wasn’t crying, so I held back my tears.”
Having won silver and bronze in her two previous Olympic appearances, Lydia remarked earlier this year, “Winning a gold medal in Paris would complete the collection and bring a fairytale ending.”
Ahead of the Olympics, Lydia cut off social media and watched documentaries on Simone Biles and Mardy Fish, athletes who overcame mental challenges in gymnastics and tennis. She wrote in her yardage book, “I get to write my own ending,” a quote from Biles, and repeated it throughout the competition.
The final round of the Olympics was a condensed version of Lydia Ko’s career. She led by five strokes at the turn but dropped a double bogey on the 13th hole, shrinking her lead to one. The latter part of her career mirrored her early brilliance, followed by struggles.
Starting from the 15th hole at Le Golf National, the course became a minefield, where even top male golfers like Jon Rahm saw their rankings fluctuate. But Lydia displayed remarkable focus under pressure, winning by two strokes.
Had Lydia won easily, it might have been less memorable. She remarked, “There are so many interesting things in life that I wanted to stay focused until the very end, and then say, ‘Okay, it’s over now.’”
Had Lydia easily entered the Hall of Fame, her story wouldn’t have been as compelling. After several near misses, she ultimately entered the Hall of Fame in the most grandiose fashion—by winning the most prestigious event in women’s golf, the Olympics, to rapturous applause.
Lydia Ko reflected, “I feel like a mythical figure in a story. I’ve had so much to be grateful for, and this is truly the pinnacle. It’s even better than I imagined, and I couldn’t ask for more.”
The final round of the Olympics also highlighted Lydia Ko’s character. Whenever her fellow competitors missed a putt by a hair, Lydia bent her knees in sympathy, wishing the best for her peers, even in such a crucial moment.
Lydia Ko is known for her fast pace on the course, not wanting to inconvenience her playing partners. However, she took her time signing every hat that children held out to her after the round, even though it delayed her submission of the scorecard.
Morgan Pressel, a commentator for the Golf Channel, quipped, “She really needs to go now,” emphasizing Lydia’s tendency to prioritize her fans.
Lydia Ko is like the kind-hearted Cinderella of golf, maintaining an almost unrealistically positive outlook on life. There’s a saying in the West that “nice guys finish last.” In golf, kind-hearted players are generally at a disadvantage.
But Lydia Ko has proven that a kind person can succeed. It’s extraordinary that she has entered the Hall of Fame with a warm heart in a sport that can feel like a battlefield. Perhaps the golf gods delayed Lydia’s victories so she could showcase that spirit at the Olympics.
It’s likely that Lydia Ko will soon step away from the tour. This year might be her last. She has achieved everything in golf and has expressed a desire to study psychology. Having experienced both joy and pain, she could make an excellent scholar.
Lydia’s journey, which began 21 years ago when she was turned away from a lesson at a small golf course in the southern hemisphere, has come to a dramatic and happy ending in Paris. As she put it, “We all try our best as athletes, but we also want to inspire the next generation.” Lydia has certainly lived up to those words.
BY HOJUN SUNG, YOUNGNAM KIM [sung.hojun@joongang.co.kr]
