For Lydia Ko, the saga of tattoos started when she was just 16. She marked the date of her first LPGA Tour win, the 2014 Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in Lake Merced Golf Club in Roman numerals on the wrist of her right arm. Firsts are special, indeed, but it was the presence of Father that made it even more special.

“I got my tattoo because I want to commemorate my first championship, and I won it in the presence of all my family, including my father, who rarely comes to watch my game,” she said. In another interview with Golf Week, she revealed, “My parents were there, and I felt like it was a very memorable win, so I got that tatted up.”

Her second one came a year later. Just two tiny hearts inked on her left forearm. The third one came in 2019. This time, it was the five rings of the Olympics with the date of victory! She represented New Zealand in the 2016 Rio Olympics and won the silver medal for her country. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Ko talked about the significance of the five rings on her arm.

“Representing New Zealand in 2016 was one of the biggest highlights of my life, not just as a golfer but as a person as well. I even got the Olympic rings tattooed with the fern,” she said. So now that she is an Olympic gold medalist, it’s only right she gets one to represent that as well, right? After all, that medal brought her glory and made her the youngest-ever member of the LPGA Hall of Fame.

“I really like my Olympic Rings (tattoo)… and when I won the gold, I reached out to the tattoo artist that did my Rings and said, ‘Do you have any good ideas for the three (medals)?’He said, ‘How about a skyline?’ He asked me for three things that would signify the three cities: Christ the Redeemer, Mount Fuji, the Eiffel Tower. He came up with a couple of designs, and this is the one I liked.” Lydia Ko recalled the process behind choosing her new tattoo.

It features Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Christ The Redeemer, Japan’s Mount Fuji, and Paris’s Eiffel Tower. A nod to the three most special cities. The tattoo is a perfect depiction of her ‘monumental’ success in the Olympics as well as the field of golf. But the imagery doesn’t end there. You’ll notice that the sizes of all three monuments are ever so slightly different.

“The idea was, depending on what color medal I got, it’s taller, so even though Mount Fuji is the tallest [in real life], the Eiffel Tower is the tallest for me[and my tattoo],” she explained. “All of my favorite (tattoos) are very fine lines; that was the theme I wanted to stick to,” she said. “I have a couple of bulky ones, and even though they’re nice, I think later down the road I should have got them fine-lined. I don’t know if I’ll get any more, but if I do, definitely fine lines from here now. I’m thankful that he came up with something that I’m going to have forever and really cherish,” Ko said.

Ko is truly enjoying and cherishing her milestones. At 28, Dame Lydia Ko has known immense success, and it truly even hurts to think about her retirement. She has indicated that she would likely retire when she turns 30. “I know for a fact I’m probably never playing past 30,” Ko had shared with Radio New Zealand. This is something that the LPGA pro has repeated several times.

“I don’t know when that moment is right now, although I’ve always said that I can’t see myself playing after I’m 30,” the New Zealand golfer stated. Maybe it is the tough schedule, or maybe it is the need to do something different. Nevertheless, her career, especially in 2024 was iconic.

She was also conferred the title of Dame by New Zealand, making her the youngest dame or knight in the modern era. So far, Lydia Ko has had a mixed start to the 2025 season. She finished a brilliant 6th position at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, scoring 13 under par. She was 7 strokes off the lead. At the Founders Cup, she was far from her best finishing only T48 with a score of 1 under par. Now that she’s set with all three Olympic medals, she’s eyeing another great feat soon.

What does Lydia Ko want to achieve next?

She is next set to feature at the HSBC Women’s World Championship that is being held in Singapore. One of the few events that she is yet to win, Ko would be looking forward to the challenge and winning her first trophy of the 2025 season. She will need all the momentum on her side if she aims to claim the Grand Slam before retiring.

Speaking to Golf Monthly last month, Ko shared her next biggest goals in professional golf. The 27-year-old aims to win the US Women’s Open and Women’s PGA Championship within the next couple of years. She has won the Evian Championship(2015), the Chevron Championship(2016), and the Women’s British Open(2024).

“I really enjoyed not having to live out of a suitcase, and I want more of that – so the Grand Slam had better happen soon!” explained Ko about her need to complete her trophy cabinet before turning 30.

Do you think the Dame will be able to clinch the Grand Slam before turning 30?