“It’s a hell of a way to do it,” said Lydia Ko after lifting her gold medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024. The journey was not easy. She has tasted the highest of the highs and even the lowest. But one thing that remained constant was her persistence. “I knew the next 18 holes were going to be some of the most important 18 holes of my life,” said the 27-year-old. Lydia Ko delivered a smooth finish with a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory over Germany’s Esther Henseleit. And well, as she received the medal, she was seen wiping tears from her eyes.

Lydia Ko was just one point away from being induced into the LPGA Hall of Fame, and with her recent win, she became the 35th player to have her name added. Ko has had an excellent journey on the course, but her humble nature also makes her stand out. People often define Lydia Ko as supporting her opponents like she is a fan, as they teed off, or living like a normal person, not considering herself a celebrity. In a recent turn of events, one of her former teammates even shared another token of gratitude for the amazing person she is while congratulating her.

Lydia Ko’s heartfelt note to Ron Sirak

Lydia Ko played her first-ever Pro-Am at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic back in January 2014, where she later bagged the T7 finish. The LPGA Media Excellence Award winner Ron Sirak was in her group, and despite not being able to win, she sent him a heartwarming letter. Thanking him for being on her team in her first Pro-Am experience as a tour player, she wrote, “Even though we weren’t winners, I had lots of fun with the windy, tough conditions. I thought our team did great.”

Lydia Ko carded a total of 15 under 277 after the four rounds. Her opening and ultimate rounds went well, but due to the weather conditions at Paradise Island, she had a decent second and third rounds (70, 71). She also called Sirak the best putter in the group, referring to his putting as ‘always the closest to the hole.’ She ended the letter by saying that she hoped to be paired with him soon!

Sharing the letter after her win at the Olympics 2024, Ron Sirak called her a special person, and even wrote, “Want to know what a nice person Lydia Ko is? In Jan. 2014 I was in her group for the first Pro-Am she played as an @LPGA member. A couple of days later I got this note. She was 16 at the time. A special person!”

Lydia Ko has always been regarded as a kind and humble person, both on and off the course. At the Olympics, too, she proved it once again. The win was indeed a special one for her, not just for her induction into the HOF, but because she wanted to dedicate it to a special someone.

Lydia Ko’s kind gesture at the Olympics

Lydia Ko has completed the Olympic medal trifecta at just 27 years of age, winning silver at the 2019 Rio Games, a bronze at the Tokyo Games, and finally a gold at the Paris Games this year. However, during the Tokyo Olympics, Ko faced the tragic loss of her grandmother, and she stepped on the greens with a heavy heart. She lost in the playoffs against Mone Inami. She shed tears at the medal ceremony then, just as she did this year, longing to win a gold medal and make her family proud despite the sorrow.

After winning the silver medal, Ko expressed her emotions and said, “I just wanted to make our family proud and our country proud, and to be able to win a medal for them means so much to everyone who has been on this journey with me. This has been for my grandmother,” Further, Lydia Ko also mentioned that once she won gold, she would present all three of her Olympic medals at her late grandmother’s grave. Fast forward to the 2024 Olympics, and the promise has been fulfilled, marking the ultimate tribute to her grandmother!