The 2024 season was a dramatic one for Lydia Ko. The 27-year-old opened the year with a victory at the Hilton Vacations TOC, which put her only one point away from getting into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. However, from that point onward, it became harder for Ko to win or even reach the top of the leaderboard. But in August, things changed, and with a third Olympic medal around her neck, the 21-time LPGA Tour winner became a Hall of Famer.

After her great feat, Ko sat down with the LPGA Tour and shared what it was like to win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. She credited her husband, Jun Chung, and her mother for supporting her when she felt that the Hall of Fame was out of her reach.

Lydia Ko recalls thinking that HOF might never happen

Lydia Ko was the latest guest on the LPGA Tour’s podcast after the conclusion of the AIG Women’s Open. The Kiwi pro talked about winning her third major at the Home of Golf and winning her third Olympic gold medal. At first, Ko revealed that she was anxious and thought to herself that the Hall of Fame might never happen.

But then her husband and mother said something that put things into perspective. Ko said, “My husband and my mom were really like the really big factors in that and saying that hey you know what you’ve achieved so much and what has happened, has been you know a lot more than what we could have all asked for so like you getting in the Hall of Fame doesn’t make that big of a difference.”

However, the 3-time major winner felt that the Hall of Fame was a big deal and sort of disagreed with her husband and mother at that point. Since she needed only one point to be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame and join many veterans, it felt like a huge feat. So, although Jun Chung and her mother tried to ease her concerns, Ko had set her sights on the Hall of Fame title.

Now, three weeks have passed since she won the Olympic gold medal and the Hall of Fame title, and Ko shared whether she was correct or if her mother and husband turned out to have better judgment.

Lydia Ko says her life hasn’t changed much after HOF

In the end, who was right—Lydia Ko or her family? Interestingly, it was the latter. The 3-time Olympic medalist shared on the LPGA Tour podcast that her husband and mother were correct, and the Hall of Fame induction was indeed not life-changing. Ko said, “It hasn’t changed my world that much. You know I still come back to the same house. You know, my routines are really all the same.”

But that doesn’t mean that earning the title was an easy feat. Before she could clinch it, the 27-year-old thought to herself that it was meant to not happen and that she did not deserve to get into the Hall of Fame. However, after being inducted into the decorated class, Ko was on cloud nine. She said, “I could not have dreamt that I was going to do that [get in HOF] by winning the gold, but you know that’s, it’s almost like a dream.” 

Through many ups and downs and with her husband’s and mother’s unwavering support, Lydia Ko earned the Olympic gold and a Hall of Fame induction. Although it was not as life-changing as she had hoped, it was nonetheless a historic accomplishment.