Lydia Ko
Name:
Bo-Gyung "Lydia" KoAlso known as:
LydsCountry:
New ZealandBorn:
April 24, 1997 in Seoul, South Korea.Original/Home Club:
Pupuke GC, Auckland.Occupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
2013Website:
https://www.lydiako.co.nzMajors (3): The Evian (2015); ANA Inspiration (2016); Women's British Open (2024).
Individual: Olympic Gold Medal (2024, Paris); Silver Medal (2016, Rio). Multiple winner on the US LPGA, European, Korean and Australian Tours. LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year (2014). Race to the CME Globe Champion (2014, '15, '22). LPGA Tour leading money winner (2015, '22). Has held the position of No.1 golfer in the Women's Official World Golf Rankings.
Beyond golf: appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2019.
Ko's amateur career was nothing short of spectacular. Having started the game aged five, at 14 she became the youngest golfer ever to win a professional event (2012 New South Wales Open). She was the world's top-ranked woman amateur player for over 2 years, and became the first amateur to win two US LPGA events. As an amateur she played in 25 professional tournaments, never missing a cut.
In 2014, her first full season as a professional, she won three LPGA Tour events and was named LPGA Rookie of the Year. Not content with being the Tour's leading rookie, she scooped the inaugural Race to the CME Globe - the LPGA Tour's season-long points competition.
More records were broken and prizes gathered in a highly successful 2015. At age 18 yrs 4 mths and 20 days, Ko became the youngest ever winner of a women's major championship, which she did at the 2015 Evian Championship. Success in 2015 was not just confined to her first Major. Ko also won tour events in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Taiwan, as well as becoming the US LPGA Tour's leading money winner, and for the second time the CME Globe champion.
Majors
AIG
The AIG Women's Open (48th) (Aug 22-25). Second-placed Nelly Korda (USA), Lilia Vu (USA), Jiyai Shin (S Kor) and Yin Ruoning (China) finished 2 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ). This was Ko's third major championship win, coming in the same month as she won the gold medal for women's golf at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].
America
Kroger/P&G
Played as the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G (Sept 19-22). Second-placed Jeeno Thitikul (Thai) finished 5 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ), who recorded her second straight win on the LPGA Tour, and 22nd LPGA Tour win in total. [TPC River's Bend, Maineville, nr Cincinnati, Ohio].
Played as the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions (Jan 18-21; LPGA Tour season-opener). Second-placed Alexa Pano (USA) finished 2 shots behind 26-year-old Lydia Ko (NZ), who recorded her 20th LPGA Tour win. [Lake Nona G&CC, Orlando, Florida].
Europe
IOC
Olympic Games Women's Individual golf event (4th) (Aug 8-11; Summer Olympic Games XXXIII). Esther Henseleit (Ger; silver medal) finished 2 shots behind 27-year-old Lydia Ko (NZ; gold medal). Xiyu Lin (China; bronze medal) finished 1 shot behind Henseleit. Ko completed the full set of Olympic medals having previously won silver (2016, Rio) and bronze (2020, Tokyo). [Albatros course, Golf National, Guyancourt, nr Paris].
Europe
Aramco / PIF
Played as the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund (Feb 16-19). Second-placed Aditi Ashok (India) finished 1 shot behind Lydia Ko (NZ), who won this title for the second time in three years. [Royal Greens G&CC, King Abdullah EC, Saudi Arabia].
America
Grant Thornton
Played as the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational (Dec 8-10; two-person mixed-team format; 16 teams with one LPGA Tour, one PGA Tour player per team; the three rounds comprise scramble, alternate shot, and modified fourball; replaces The Shootout on the PGA Tour). Second-placed team of Brooke Henderson (Can) & Cory Conners (Can) finished 1 shot behind Lydia Ko (NZ) & Jason Day (Aus). Winners each received $500,000. [Gold course, Tiburón GC, Naples, FL].
America
CME
Played as the CME Group Tour Championship (Nov 17-20; LPGA Tr season-ending event). Second-placed Leona Maguire (Ire) finished 2 shots behind wire-to-wire winner Lydia Ko (NZ), who collected the biggest winner's cheque in the history of women's golf. Ko's win also gave her the 2022 Race to the CME Globe title, and made her the Tour's season-long leading money winner. [Gold course, Tiburón GC, Naples, FL].
Asia
BMW
Played as the BMW Ladies Championship (Oct 20-23; LPGA Tr/KLPGA Tr event). Second-placed Andrea Lee (USA) finished 4 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ), who recorded her 18th LPGA Tour win. [Oak Valley CC, nr Wonju, Gangwon, South Korea].
America
Gainbridge
Played as the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio (Jan 27-30). Second-placed Danielle Kang (USA), chasing back-to-back LPGA Tour wins, finished 1 shot behind Lydia Ko (NZ). [Boca Rio GC, Boca Raton, Florida].
Awards
LPGA Tr
Lydia Ko (NZ) won the LPGA Tour 2022 Money List with 2022 season earnings of $4,364,403 on the Tour. Minjee Lee (Aus) was second with $3,809,960; In Gee Chun (S Kor) was third with $2,673,860. Ko also won this award in 2015.
Lydia Ko (NZ) won the LPGA 2022 Rolex Player of the Year Award with 180 pts, based on a points system for top 10 finishes and performance in Majors. Minjee Lee (Aus) was second with 149 pts; Brooke M. Henderson (Can) was third with 134 pts.
Awards
CME Group
Lydia Ko (NZ) won the LPGA Tour's 2022 season-long points chase, the Race to the CME Globe. Winning this award for the third time, Ko accumulated 3,571 pts during the season; Atthaya Thitikul (Thai) was second with 2,760 pts; Brooke M. Henderson (Can) was third with 2,586 pts. The 2022 "Race", based on points earned for "above the cut line" finishes, determined the 60 competitors for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship (also won by Lydia Ko).
Lydia Ko (NZ) won the Vare Trophy, recording the LPGA Tour's 2022 season lowest scoring average (68.988), over a minimum of 60 rounds. Hyo Joo Kim (S Kor) was second with 69.390; Atthaya Thitikul (Thai) was third with 69.458. Ko won this award for the second straight year, and became only the second LPGA Tour player after Annika Sörenstam (Swe) to win the Vare Trophy with a scoring average in the 68s.
Lydia Ko (NZ) won the Vare Trophy, recording the LPGA Tour's 2021 season lowest scoring average (69.329) over a minimum of 70 rounds. Lexi Thompson (USA) was second with 69.629. Not making the minimum 70 rounds were: Nelly Korda (USA, 68.774, 62 rounds), Jin Young Ko (S Kor, 68.866, 67 rounds), Yuka Saso (Jpn, 69.364, 33 rounds) and Inbee Park (S Kor, 69.534, 58 rounds).
Awards
CME Group
Jin Young Ko (S Kor) won the LPGA Tour's 2021 season-long points chase, the Race to the CME Globe, with 3,520 pts; Ko won this award for the second time in three years. Nelly Korda (USA) was second with 3,420 pts; Lydia Ko (NZ) was third with 2,754 pts. The 2021 "Race", based on points earned for "above the cut line" finishes, determined the 60 competitors for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship (which was also won by Jin Young Ko).
America
Lotte
Played as the Lotte Championship (Apr 14-17). Second-placed Nelly Korda (USA), Leona Maguire (Ire), Sei Young Kim (S Kor) and Inbee Park (S Kor) finished 7 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ). [Kapolei GC, Kapolei, Oahu, Hawaii].
Europe
Aramco / PIF
Played as the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund (Nov 4-7). Second-placed Atthaya Thitikul (Thai) finished 5 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ). Thitikul's second place finish gave her enough points to clinch the season-long LET Order of Merit (Race to Costa del Sol) title for 2021 ... at 18-years-old, the youngest ever winner of this title. [Royal Greens G&CC, King Abdullah EC, Saudi Arabia].
America
Mediheal
Played as the inaugural LPGA Mediheal Championship (April 16-29). Lydia Ko (NZ) beat Minjee Lee (Aus) with an eagle at the first playoff hole (par-5 18th), to record her 15th LPGA Tour title. [Lake Merced GC, San Francisco, CA].
Majors
ANA
Played as the ANA Inspiration (45th) (March 31-Apr 3). Second-placed Charley Hull (Eng) and In-gee Chun (S Kor) finished one shot behind Ko (NZ), who recorded back-to-back LPGA Tr wins. At 18 yrs 11 mths 9 days, Ko became the LPGA Tour's youngest ever two-time major champion, and youngest man or woman to win two majors since Young Tom Morris in 1869. [Dinah Shore Tournament course, Mission Hills CC, Rancho Mirage, CA].
Aus/NZ
ISPS Handa
Played as the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open (Feb 12-14; ALPG/LET Tours event; LET season-opener). Second-placed Felicity Johnson (Eng), Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Den) and Hye-jin Choi (S Kor, amateur) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Lydia Ko (NZ), who won this event for the third time in four years. [Clearwater Resort, Christchurch, NZ].
Played as the Kia Classic (March 24-27). Second-placed Inbee Park (S Kor) finished 4 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ). [Aviara GC, Carlsbad, CA].
America
Walmart/P&G
Played as the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G (June 24-26). Second-placed Candie Kung (Taiw) and Morgan Pressel (USA) finished 3 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ). [Pinnacle CC, Rogers, Arkansas].
America
Marathon
Played as the Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning & O-I (July 14-17). Lydia Ko (NZ) beat Mirim Lee (S Kor) and Ariya Jutanugarn (Thai) with a birdie at the fourth playoff hole (par-5 18th). [Highland Meadows GC, Sylvania, nr Toledo, OH].
Asia
Fubon
Played as the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship (Oct 22-25; LPGA Tour event). Second-placed So Yeon Ryu (S Kor) and Eun-hee Ji (S Kor) finished 9 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ). 18-year-old Ko recorded her tenth LPGA Tour victory, breaking Nancy Lopez's ten win record by almost 3.5 years. Ko's win returned her to the World No.1 spot. [Miramar G&CC, Taipei, Taiwan].
Majors
Evian
The Evian Championship (22nd) (Sept 10-13). Second-placed Lexi Thompson (USA) finished 6 shots behind Ko (NZ). Aged 18 yrs 4 mths 20 days, Ko became the youngest ever women's major championship winner, a record previously held by Morgan Pressel (USA). [Evian Resort GC, Evian-les-Bains, France].
Aus/NZ
ISPS Handa
Played as the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open (Feb 27-Mar 1; ALPG/LET Tours event). Second-placed Hannah Green (Aus, amateur) finished 4 shots behind Lydia Ko (NZ), who won this event for the second time in three years. [Clearwater Resort, Christchurch, NZ].
Awards
CME Group
Ko (NZ) won the LPGA Tour season-long points chase, to capture her second straight Race to the CME Globe and $1 million bonus. Inbee Park (S Kor) was second with 5,700 pts; Lexi Thompson (USA) was third with 5,000 pts. The Globe is awarded based on points earned for "above the cut line" finishes during the LPGA Tour season.
Awards
LPGA Tr
Ko (NZ) won the LPGA Tour 2015 Money List, with season earnings of $2,800,802 on the Tour. Inbee Park (S Kor) was second with $2,630,011; Stacy Lewis (USA) was third with $1,893,423.
Ko (NZ) won the LPGA Rolex Player of the Year Award, based on a points system for top 10 finishes and performance in Majors. Inbee Park (S Kor) was second with 278 pts; Sei Young Kim (S Kor) was third with 161 pts.
America
Swinging Skirts
Played as the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic (April 23-26). Defending champion Lydia Ko (NZ) beat Morgan Pressel (USA) with a birdie at the second playoff hole. Ko celebrated her 18th birthday on the Friday of this event. [Lake Merced GC, San Francisco, CA].
America
Canadian Pacific
Played as the Canadian Pacific Women's Open (Aug 20-23). Lydia Ko (NZ) beat Stacy Lewis (USA) with a par at the first playoff hole (par-4 18th), to claim her third win in four years in this event. [The Vancouver GC, Coquitlam, nr Vancouver, BC].
Aus/NZ
ISPS Handa
Played as the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open (Feb 19-22; ALPG/LET/LPGA Trs event). Second-placed Amy Yang (S Kor) finished 2 shots behind 17-year-old Ko (NZ), who became the youngest ever winner of the Women's Australian Open. [Composite of East & West courses, Royal Melbourne GC, Victoria, Aus].
Awards
CME Group
Ko (NZ) won the inaugural LPGA Tour season-long points chase, to capture the Race to the CME Globe and $1 million bonus. Stacy Lewis (USA) was second with 5,650 pts; Michelle Wie (USA) was third with 5,100 pts. The Globe is awarded based on points earned for "above the cut line" finishes during the LPGA Tour season.
America
Marathon
Played as the Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning & O-I (July 17-20). Second-placed So Yeon Ryu (S Kor) finished 1 shot behind 17-year-old Lydia Ko (NZ), who claimed her fourth LPGA Tour title. [Highland Meadows GC, Sylvania, nr Toledo, Ohio].
America
CME
Played as the CME Group Tour Championship (Nov 20-23; LPGA Tr season-ending event). Lydia Ko (NZ) beat Carlota Ciganda (Esp) with a par at the fourth playoff hole. Julieta Granada (Par) was eliminated with a bogey at the second playoff hole. [Gold course, Tiburón GC, Naples, FL].
America
Swinging Skirts
Played as the inaugural Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic (April 24-27). Second-placed Stacy Lewis (USA) finished 1 shot behind Lydia Ko (NZ), who recorded her third LPGA Tour win, in the week when she turned 17 years. [Lake Merced GC, San Francisco, CA].
Awards
Rolex
Ko (NZ) won the LPGA Tour 2014 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player. Using a season-long points system (based on finishes in Tour events), Ko accumulated 1,720 pts; Mirim Lee (S Kor) was second with 941 pts. Ko finished third on the LPGA money list, with earnings of $2,089,033.
America
CN
Played as the CN Canadian Women's Open (Aug 22-25). Second-placed Karine Icher (Fra) finished 5 shots behind defending champion Lydia Ko (NZ). 16-year old Ko became the first amateur to record two LPGA Tour wins, and first amateur to successfully defend a title on the Tour. [Royal Mayfair GC, Edmonton, Alberta].
Aus/NZ
ISPS Handa
Played as the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open (Feb 8-10; ALPG/LET Tours event). Second-placed Amelia Lewis (USA) finished 1 shot behind Lydia Ko (NZ, amateur), who recorded her third win in a top professional women's event. At 15 yrs, 9 months and 17 days, Ko became the youngest ever winner on the Ladies European Tour. [Clearwater Resort, Christchurch, NZ].
The US Women's Amateur Championship (112th). 15-year old Korean-born Ko (NZ), became the second youngest ever winner of the US Women's Amateur, beating Jaye Marie Green (USA) 3 and 1 in the final. [The Country Club, Pepper Pike, nr Cleveland, OH].
Aus/NZ
Bing Lee/Samsung
Played as the Bing Lee Samsung Women's NSW Open (Jan 27-29; ALPG Tr event). Second-placed Becky Morgan (Wales) finished 4 shots behind Ko (NZ, amateur), who posted her first ALPG Tour win. [Oatlands GC, Oatlands, nr Sydney, NSW].
America
CN
Played as the CN Canadian Women's Open (Aug 23-26). At 15 yrs 4 mths & 2 days, Korean-born Lydia Ko (NZ, amateur), became the youngest ever winner on the LPGA Tour. The $300,000 first prize went to second-placed Inbee Park (S Kor), who finished 3 shots behind Ko. [The Vancouver GC, Coquitlam, nr Vancouver, BC].
The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.
Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.
Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.
Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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