Trevor Ng
Dame Lydia Ko DNZM is a New Zealand professional golfer, member of the LPGA Hall of Fame, and the reigning Olympic champion. She has been a highly successful golfer since her teenage years, holding many accolades as the youngest golfer to win various championships. However, despite her success, Ko has expressed her intention to retire from professional golf before turning 30. In this paragraph, we will explore Lydia Ko's remarkable career and her thoughts on retiring from the sport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Lydia Ko |
| Date of Birth | 24 April 1997 |
| Age | 26 |
| Birthplace | Seoul, South Korea |
| Current Age | 27 |
| Profession | Golfer |
| Retirement Plans | Retire before turning 30 |
| Recent Wins | 2024 Kroger Queen City Championship, 2024 CME Group Tour Championship, 2024 LPGA Player of the Year award, 2024 Vare Trophy, 2024 Olympic gold medal in women's golf |
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What You'll Learn
Lydia Ko's golfing career so far
Lydia Ko is a New Zealand professional golfer who has had a highly successful career. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1997 and emigrated to New Zealand with her family when she was four years old. She began playing golf at the age of five when her mother took her to a pro shop at the Pupuke Golf Club in Auckland, where she was coached by professional golfer Guy Wilson.
Ko first came to the attention of the media in 2005, at the age of seven, when she competed in the New Zealand national amateur championships. In 2012, at the age of 14, she became the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event by winning the Bing Lee/Samsung Women's NSW Open on the ALPG Tour. The following year, she became the only amateur to win two LPGA Tour events and announced that she would be turning professional. She was granted membership of the LPGA Tour, despite being only 16 years old at the time.
Ko's success continued into her professional career. In 2014, she became the youngest millionaire ever on the LPGA, accumulating over $1 million in prize earnings at just 17 years of age. She also became the youngest and fastest player to surpass $2 million in career earnings later that year. In 2015, she rose to number one in the Women's World Golf Rankings, making her the youngest player of either gender to achieve this feat. That same year, she won her first major championship, The Evian Championship in France, becoming the youngest woman to win a major at 18 years of age.
Ko's success has continued into recent years. In 2022, she won the CME Group Tour Championship and was named LPGA Player of the Year for the second time in her career. She also rose to number two in the Women's World Golf Rankings. In 2024, she won the gold medal in women's golf at the Paris Summer Olympics, becoming the first golfer in the modern era to achieve a complete set of Olympic medals.
Despite her young age, Ko has previously stated that she plans to retire from professional golf when she turns 30. However, she has also said that she is taking her career "by the day and by the week" and that her retirement plans are not set in stone.
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Retirement plans
New Zealand professional golfer, Dame Lydia Ko, has long been vocal about her plans to retire from professional golf before turning 30. In an episode of the GOLF Subpar podcast, the golfer revealed that she would not play for 20 more years and that she would instead pursue a second career.
Ko's retirement plan remains unchanged despite her recent successes. In 2024, she won the gold medal in women's golf at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, becoming the first golfer in the modern era to achieve all three medals at three different Olympic Games. She also won the CME Group Tour Championship in 2022, completing the LPGA Tour season with three wins, the LPGA Player of the Year award, the Vare Trophy, and the title of leading money winner.
The golfer has stated that she wants to leave the game while she is still playing well and that her victories would not influence her long-held plan to pursue other interests. She has expressed that golf is no longer the only thing in her life, and that she is now a "dog mom".
While Ko's initial retirement timeline has become less firm, she maintains that thirty is a long way off, and she is taking her golf career day by day. She has noted that her schedule has changed, and she is reassessing her energy levels during the middle of the season.
Despite her plans, Ko acknowledges that she cannot be certain about her retirement until the moment comes. She recognises that age is not as relevant in golf as in other sports, and that as long as she remains healthy and fit, she could continue playing beyond her planned retirement age.
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Ko's future career
Dame Lydia Ko DNZM is a New Zealand professional golfer, member of the LPGA Hall of Fame, and the reigning Olympic champion. She has had a very successful career, holding many "youngest" accolades on the LPGA Tour. She was also the first golfer in the modern era to achieve all three medals at three different Olympic Games.
However, Ko has stated that she plans to retire from professional golf by the age of 30. While she once said that she wanted to retire at the peak of her career, she now says that she wants to leave the game while she is "still playing well". Although she has considered retiring at 30 for a long time, she has recently suggested that her retirement age is not set in stone. She has said that she is taking her career day by day and that she could play until she is 35.
Ko has expressed interest in pursuing a second career in psychology, which she believes links well with her experience as an athlete. She has also stated that golf is no longer the only thing in her life, as she is recently married and a "dog mom".
Despite her plans to retire from competitive golf, it is clear that Ko will continue to be involved in the sport in some capacity. She has already built a successful career beyond tournament play, winning numerous awards and becoming a role model for young golfers. With her extensive knowledge of the game and her commitment to giving back, it is likely that she will continue to make significant contributions to the world of golf even after she retires from competition.
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Ko's personal life
Lydia Ko's Personal Life
Lydia Ko, the New Zealand professional golfer, was born in Seoul, South Korea, on 24 April 1997. She emigrated with her family to New Zealand when she was four, gaining New Zealand citizenship at age 12. Her mother introduced her to the game of golf when she was five years old. She was educated at Mairangi Bay Primary and Pinehurst School in Albany, New Zealand.
In August 2020, when Ko was going through a low point in her career, former number one Stacy Lewis approached her at Royal Troon and shared her own experiences of trying to be the player she had been when she was ranked number one. This helped Ko realise that she was doing the same thing, and she started working with Canadian golf instructor Sean Foley.
In an Instagram post, Ko shared personal pictures with her mother, sister, and dog, along with snapshots of them at home and in a park, highlighting the importance of family. She also mentioned her affection for the people who support her off the course. In the post, she wrote, "Few of my favorite moments thanks to my favorite people," hinting at her close bond with her loved ones.
Ko has expressed her interest in the future of the sport and her desire to give back to the golfing community in New Zealand. In 2015, she set up the Lydia Ko Scholarship in collaboration with New Zealand Golf to help young golfers receive mentorship from her in Florida. She has also stated that she plans to retire from professional golf when she turns 30 to pursue other interests, including studying psychology or criminology. However, as she gets closer to 30, she has expressed uncertainty about her retirement plans, taking her decision by the day and week.
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Ko's Olympic success
Dame Lydia Ko DNZM is a New Zealand professional golfer. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1997 and emigrated to New Zealand with her family when she was four, gaining citizenship at 12. Ko began playing golf at the age of five and first came to the attention of the media in 2005, at the age of seven, for competing in the New Zealand national amateur championships.
Ko turned professional in 2013, having headed the amateur world rankings for 130 weeks. She quickly rose to the top of the world rankings, becoming the youngest player of either gender to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf at 17 years old. She has won numerous LPGA Tour titles, including her first major at the Evian Championship in 2015, where she became the youngest woman to win a major championship.
Despite her Olympic and Open wins, Ko has stated that she still plans to retire from professional golf before she turns 30. In an interview, she said, "I want to leave the game while I'm still playing well... golf doesn't complete me, it's just part of me, but that's not me as a whole." Ko's success in golf has been recognized through various honours and awards, including being named Young New Zealander of the Year in 2016 and being appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2025 for her services to the sport.
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Frequently asked questions
Ko has stated that she plans to retire from golf before she turns 30. However, she has also said that she does not have a certain date for retirement and is taking her career day by day.
Ko has said that she wants to "leave the game while I'm still playing well" and pursue other interests. She has also mentioned that golf is no longer the only thing in her life and that she is a "dog mom".
Ko is a New Zealand professional golfer and a member of the LPGA Hall of Fame. She is the reigning Olympic champion and has won numerous LPGA Tour events, including The Evian Championship and the ANA Inspiration. She was also the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event at 14 years old.
