With her gold medal victory at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Lydia Ko has officially earned the 27 points required for induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame. The 27-year-old from New Zealand reached this milestone thanks to an exceptional career, which includes 20 LPGA Tour wins, two major championships, and numerous accolades such as two Rolex LPGA Player of the Year awards. 

She has also claimed the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy twice for the lowest-scoring average in a season. Ko’s Olympic gold further solidified her place among the game’s greats, making her the 35th player inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame and joining an elite group of athletes who have shaped the history of women’s golf. But as she was left in tears, what was the journey really like for her? Ko recently revealed the challenges behind it.

Lydia Ko is currently teeing off at the Pelican and, after fifty-four holes, is tied for 17. At the post-round presser, she was asked how much it meant to her to get inducted into the Hall of Fame. She was just a few points away, so this season was comparatively easier for her. “I think there was more pressure last year just because it’s not easy to win and the level of competition is so high that I was like oh, my God, I have to win two or a major that I haven’t won in almost like ten years or something,” she said.

Lydia Ko appeared in eighteen events and made cuts in sixteen of them. However, she finished in the top 10 just seven times with three wins. This, according to her, was not a great performance. Her sole focus was to keep improving and play better golf. The Hall of Fame was secondary for her. When she spoke about it with her mother-in-law, she was not even nervous. “I just wasn’t in contention that much so I don’t think I was able to live it as much as I think other people thought,” added Lydia Ko. For her, winning at the Paris Olympics was too good to be true, and it still gives her goosebumps to look at the highlights.

While Lydia Ko is currently ranked fourth on the list of Rolex Players and third in the Race to CME Globe standings, it was a far-fetched dream for her at one point in time.

Lydia Ko shares her proudest moment

Lydia Ko did not have the best season last year. Appearing only in 20 events, she managed to take home just $ 247.3k. Additionally, not only was she able to grab a single win, but she finished in the top 10 only twice. While winning each time was unique for her, it was being able to come back to gameplay after the drought. “You know, I think outside of what won, I think what I’m most proud of is just me having overcome some of my lows. As a player, we all go through our journey,” she said.

Last year, she had thought of giving up several times, doubting if she would ever win again. After bagging a bronze and a silver at the Olympics, the win in Paris came with lots of self-doubt too. Nonetheless, she managed to overcome it and proved her intrusive thoughts wrong. “It’s a struggle because every day you get your result and you reflect on it. It’s not easy to accept the bad at times. As much as all of those wins are very special to me, my journey is something I’m most proud of,” she concluded.

Well, there is certainly no doubt that Lydia Ko has managed to have an exceptional season this year. What are your thoughts on her?