‘Getting Old’: Former World No.1 Jin Young Ko Claps Back at Shoulder Injury Concerns With Cheeky Remark

Jin Young Ko is not a stranger to injuries. The South Korean LPGA Tour Pro had battled with a bad wrist injury back in 2021, not to mention the problem with her knee last year. The golfer had also been suffering from a little bit of pain on her shoulders at the start of 2024. But there is no need for any worries now, seeing as she seems to be perfectly fine.

The professional was spotted in an interview after the second round of play at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, mentioning the same. She was queried on the status of her shoulder, to which Ko swiftly revealed how she was currently pain-free at the ongoing major championship before adding a sassy remark!

Jin Young Ko comes out candid on her shoulder injury

“I don’t have injury right now,” responded the golfer in the post-round interview before divulging how she had a slight problem with her shoulder earlier in the year. Jin Young Ko was also posed with the question of how long she has been “pain-free” to which the pro replied, “Just two or three weeks. Not bad.” The 28-year-old soon followed the reply with a cheeky comment on how she’s “getting old.”

She really does seem to have recovered from her injuries, seeing as how the pro managed to finish tied for T3 after the second round at the ongoing major championship at Sahalee Country Club. Ko is currently tied with the likes of Hinako Shibuno and Lexi Thompson at 4-under after carding 72-68 over the two days.

The 28-year-old athlete, interestingly, made a comeback to the sport this year at the 2024 Honda LPGA Thailand, before which she had withdrawn from the 2023 CME Group Tour Championship. She did so all thanks to an injury she suffered during the 2023 edition of the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. The unfortunate setback caused some pain in her leg during the fifth hole on Thursday, following which she decided to wear a knee brace ahead of the Tour Championship.

But as fate would have it, the golfer was forced to pull after finishing just half of the tournament. Come June 2024, the athlete appears to be perfectly healthy, all the while aiming for the winner’s cut at the major championship. And she has every chance to get it, especially after seeing how she managed to win on the LPGA Tour in the past while sporting a wrist injury!

Ko and her remarkable record despite injuries

The 2020 and 2021 editions of the CME Group Tour Championship saw Jin Young Ko emerge victorious and successfully defend her title, respectively, despite being riddled with an ailment on her wrists. She registered an 18-under 270 while dishing out 22 birdies in 2020 while carding a 23-under 265 the following year with 26 birdies to clinch both titles. One can’t help but respect the athlete for her grit and determination, especially when she said, “Even though I am having a hard time right now, the two events will make me stronger. I have to feel something from this pain and my difficult situation.”And become stronger, she did!

Fast forward to 2023. Although she started off the year with the same wrist injury, Jin Young Ko was able to win two more times in the circuit at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and the Cognizant Founders Cup. Well, the field at the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship sure does have a tough weekend ahead of them, seeing as how they would be facing an injury- and pain-free LPGA Tour Pro this time around.