Lydia Ko
New Zealand
- World Ranking
- 15
- Age
- 27
- Turned Pro
- 2014
- Hometown
- Seoul, South Korea
- Height
- 5 ft 7 in
Bio
LPGA Tour Victories (20 wins, 2 majors)
- 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open*
- 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open*
- 2014 Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic, Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning & O-I, CME Group Tour Championship
- 2015 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic Presented by CTBC, Canadian Pacific Women's Open, The Evian Championship, Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship
- 2016 Kia Classic, ANA Inspiration, Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I
- 2018 LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship
- 2021 LOTTE Championship
- 2022 Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, BMW Ladies Championship, CME Group Tour Championship
- 2023 Grant Thornton Invitational with playing partner PGA Tour member Jason Day**
- 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions
*as an amateur and non-member
**unofficial event
LPGA Awards
- 2014 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year (Youngest-Ever Winner), Race to CME Globe Winner
- 2015 Rolex Player of the Year (Youngest-Ever Winner), Race to CME Globe Winner, Tour Money Winner
- 2021 Founders Award, Vare Trophy
- 2022 Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy, Race to CME Globe Winner
Olympics (2)
- 2016 Rio Olympics (2nd - Silver Medalist)
- 2020 Tokyo Olympics (3rd - Bronze Medalist)
2023 in a Nutshell
- 20 events, 16 cuts made, $247,335 (90)
- Recorded two top-10 finishes including a season-best third place result at the BMW Ladies Championship
- Winner of the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational with playing partner PGA TOUR member Jason Day
Career Highlights:
2022:
- 22 events, 22 cuts made, $4,364,403 (1)
- Recorded 14 top-10 finishes including wins at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, BMW Ladies Championship, CME Group Tour Championship
- Earned Rolex Player of the Year and Vare Trophy honors
- Won the Race to the CME Globe
2021:
- 20 events, 19 cuts made, $1,530,629 (5)
- Recorded 11 top-10 finishes including a win at the LOTTE Championship
- Represented New Zealand in the Tokyo Olympics
2020:
- 13 events, 12 cuts made, $677,545 (9)
- Captured a season-best result of T2 at the Marathon LPGA Classic, one of five top-10 performances
2019:
- 24 events, 21 cuts made, $444,256 (48)
- Recorded four top-10 finishes
- Crossed the $10 million mark in career earnings with a T6 finish at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, becoming the 17th player in LPGA history as of 2019 to earn at least $10 million
- Recorded her second ace at the U.S. Women's Open
2018:
- 26 events, 24 cuts made, $1,118,180 (12)
- Won the 2018 LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship for her first LPGA victory since the 2016 Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I
- Took home more than $1 million in season earnings for the fifth consecutive year in 2018
- Became the fastest player in LPGA history to cross the $9 million earnings threshold with her third-place finish at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
2017:
- 26 events, 23 cuts made, $1,177,450 (13)
- Recorded 11 top-10 finishes, including three runner-ups, in her first winless season on the LPGA Tour
- Took home more than $1 million in season earning for the fourth-straight year
2016:
- 24 events, 24 cuts made, $2,493,059 (2)
- Racked up four victories including her second major championship at the ANA Inspiration and tallied 10 additional top-10 finishes including three runner-ups
- Became youngest female ever to win two major championships (18y/11m/9d) and second youngest golfer (male or female) to two major wins behind Young Tom Morris after he won the 1869 Open Championship
- One of three players to win back-to-back tournaments (Kia Classic, ANA Inspiration)
- Shot a career-low 62 twice
2015:
- 24 events, 23 cuts made, $2,800,802 (1)
- Captured five victories on the season - ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic Presented by CTBC, Canadian Pacific Women's Open, The Evian Championship, and Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship
- Won the second consecutive Race to the CME Globe, taking home the $1 million bonus
- Captured the 2015 Rolex Player of the Year Award
- Became the youngest player, male or female, to reach No. 1 in the world
- Added 12 additional top-10 finishes, including three runner-up finishes
2014:
- 26 events, 26 cuts made, $2,089,033 (3)
- Captured three victories on the season - CME Group Tour Championship, Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning & O-I and Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic
- Won the inaugural Race to the CME Globe, taking home the $1 million bonus
- Named the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, the youngest winner in the history of the award
- Became the youngest player to surpass $1 million and $2 million in career earnings
- Added 12 additional top-10 finishes, including a pair of runner-up finishes
2013:
- Turned professional in October 2013 and was granted membership for the 2014 season by LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan.
- Two months after turning professional, won her first event as a pro at the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour (KLPGA)
- 12 events, 12 cuts made, 1 victory, 5 additional top-10 finishes
- Earned her second-career victory when she defended her title at the CN Canadian Women's Open
Amateur:
- Won four professional tournaments in her amateur career (2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open & 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open (LPGA), 2013 ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open (LET & ALPG) and 2012 Bing Lee Samsung Women’s NSW Open (ALPG).
- Played in 16 LPGA Tour events in the 2012 and 2013 seasons and did not miss a cut.
- Was the fifth amateur winner in LPGA history and first since 1967; first amateur to win twice.
- Became the youngest winner in Ladies European Tour (LET) history on Feb. 10, 2013 at the 54-hole ISPS Handa Women’s New Zealand Open.
- Became the youngest winner in LPGA history on Aug. 19, 2012 at the 72-hole CN Canadian Women’s Open at the age of 15 years, 4 months, 2 days.
- In the 2012 and 2013 seasons, earned low amateur honors at six LPGA Tour major championships
- Won the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur (second youngest winner in history) and Australian Women’s Amateur; medalist at the World Amateur Team Championship in Turkey.
- Won the 2011 Australian Women’s Amateur Strokeplay, New Zealand Women’s Amateur Strokeplay, New Zealand Women’s Amateur Match Play.
Personal:
- 5’5”
- Started playing golf at the age of 5.
- Credits her parents as the individuals most influencing her career.
- Enjoys going to the movies and reading.