This will be the last year that Lexi Thompson plays competitive golf. The LPGA star will be bidding farewell to the greens and as iterated time and again, she is looking forward to getting married and starting a family of her own. And it seems Thompson would not be the only one. Having given 2 decades of her life to golf, Lydia Ko might be another pro who wants to start a family. But it might mean that she would too turn her back on golf.

The Kiwi Pro has been one of the best golfers of today’s era. While talking to the New Zealand Herald about her game, and her family dynamic, Ko also shed light on starting her own family. The 27-year-old expressed that whenever she and her husband, Jun Chung, plan a baby, they will be over the moon for such a “blessing.” But then Ko revealed that playing competitively will not be her priority. She said, “I don’t think I could be competitively playing and have a family, though.” 

Although Ko did not mean any harm to those pros who are juggling “motherhood” and being a golfer together. Rather, she showed utmost respect and appreciation for them as they carried the baby, stroller, and golf clubs and said, “I call them superwomen because it’s hard enough carrying my own suitcase and golf bag!” But Ko loves to see the mothers happy after they reunite with their children at the end of the round. And expressed that if it had been her own child, she would have felt amazing too.

In December 2024, Ko will celebrate her second wedding anniversary with her husband, Chung Jun, the son of Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young. And as she has hinted towards starting a family and leaving professional golf, when will this retirement come exactly? Ko was not shy to hide the age she would hang up her cleat, and it seems to be sooner than anyone expected.

Lydia Ko confirms her retirement age

At the age of 17, Lydia Ko told the Associated Press that she would retire from golf at the age of 30 and revealed that she may pursue sports psychology as it was her subject during college. After nine years, the 21-time LPGA Tour talked about her retirement again at the Subpar podcast and denied that she was not sure if she would retire by 30. Ko said, “I’m honestly taking it by the day and taking it by the week” and asserted that she did not have a certain date when she wanted to retire.

Then, after winning the British Open and the Olympic gold at the Paris Games, the 27-year-old was asked about her retirement plans once again. And this time, she was more certain than before. As starting a family is nearer than ever, Ko said, “I know for a fact I’m probably never playing past 30.” Furthermore, she explained that even if she won more events till that age, her plan would not change in any way and that she wanted to leave the game while still playing well.

So, it stands, like Lexi Thompson, in the upcoming years, Ko would be missing the greens too. Although Thompson has revealed that she would still play a few events a year but not a full schedule. The same could be expected from Lydia Ko, and the fans could cherish her exceptional golf after she turns 30.