Lydia Ko Downplays ‘Hall of Fame’ Importance; Says, ‘Never Really a Big Goal of Mine’

Lydia Ko had a few goals to tick off on her golfing list coming into the new season. First and foremost was to break the spell of a winless streak that had plagued her in the previous season and Kiwi did just that! by clinching the victory on her first start at that too at the season opener of the women’s circuit at the Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions. The 20th win of her career also brought her closer to yet another record as she is currently just one point away from being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Though the monumental feat is just a step away. However, taking that step and fulfilling the same has been quite a task for the LPGA pro, as she has yet to secure a win following her first victory of the season. But, regardless of the outcome of her game as of late, Ko shares that earning her way into the Hall of Fame has been less of a worry for her and it was never really her end goal to start with.

Is the Hall of Fame always on Kiwi’s mind?

The blunt answer is, No. Lydia Ko was asked the question at the pre-match conference of the FORD Championship presented by KCC to which she replied, “I don’t think I fall asleep or wake up in a day thinking about the Hall of Fame. I think people around me think about it more than I do.”

The 20-time LPGA Tour winner recalled getting into the HOF was more on her mind in the 2022 season rather than now. However, it was never something that drove her to play the best golf. Divulging more on it, Ko revealed, “Being in the Hall of Fame was never really a big goal of mine, I didn’t think that I was maybe capable to be part of those players that’s already in the Hall of Fame.”

In the 2022 season, after winning thrice, Ko said, “I think it was the first time I was like, oh, maybe I could be a Hall of Famer.” But the year 2023 carded a shadow on her budding hopes. Then came the current season and Ko after winning once already, was relieved. She said, “Being one point away seems a little easier than two.”

However, it does not make things easy, “Sometimes it’s just easier said than done. Some players win for their first time in ten years. It’s just not that easy,” expressed Ko.  The 20-time LPGA Tour winner explained, however, that at the end of the day, she would “Not just kind of set my end goal as the Hall of Fame.”

Why? According to Ko, “I think sometimes that makes you more narrow minded and makes me feel like, okay, I just need to win one. But I want to win more than one as long as I’m still playing,” said the 26-year-old to conclude her rationale behind the induction into LPGA Hall of Fame. Furthermore, the Korean native applauded Nelly Korda for winning back-to-back spoke about how the Bradenton native has shown that winning is easy for her, and spoke about what motivates her when she is on the course.

Lydia Ko reveals her mantra on the greens

When Ko graces the greens, her only mantra is, “I’m just trying to play the best golf I can.” The New Zealand National followed it by adding a more deeper and accepting understanding of the game and the sport as she went on to compliment that week’s winner at the Blue Bay LPGA and said, “I don’t think I could have played better than how Bailey played. Sometimes other players just play better than you. All you can do is do your best.” But despite all, Ko explained that she would always try to contest and give herself better opportunities to win.

Read More: Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda’s Ford Championship Dreams Face an Unlikely Cristie Kerr Threat

It had been overwhelming for the Kiwi pro to meet the expectations in every event she played, for a while it looked like Ko would have been crowned as the latest member at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club but it wasn’t meant to be. However, at the Seville Golf and Country Club, Ko determined to play her best may conclude those results.

Read More: Lydia Ko Suffers A Blow From Charley Hull Amid Worrying Hall of Fame Struggles