New Zealander Lydia Ko is one of the biggest stars in women’s tennis with nearly 30 professional victories worldwide, including three major championships. She has also been ranked No. 1 in the world on several occasions and most recently reclaimed that status after winning the 2022 CME Group Tour Championship. Learn more about the LPGA Tour Hall of Famer with these facts about her…
Lydia Ko holds the Tournament of Champions trophy
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Facts about Lydia Ko
1. Bo-Gyung “Lydia” Ko was born on April 24, 1997 in Seoul, South Korea.
2. Ko emigrated to New Zealand as a toddler and attended Pinehurst School in Albany.
3. When she was five years old, Ko was taken by her mother to the pro shop at Pupuke Golf Club and from then on she fell in love with the game.
4. Ko first attracted media attention in 2005 when she appeared in the New Zealand Amateur Championships at just seven years old.
5. The New Zealander’s hobbies include tennis, climbing and reading.
6. In 2011, Ko became the first woman to win the Mark H. McCormack Medal, an award given by the R&A to the leading player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Ko also defended the medal in 2012 and 2013.
7. At 14 years old, the New Zealander became the youngest person to ever win a professional golf tour event, winning the Women’s New South Wales Open on the ALPG Tour.
8. Ko was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people at the age of just 16.
9. Before turning professional, Ko was the top-ranked amateur in the world for 130 weeks, winning the LPGA’s Canadian Open twice during that time. In doing so, she became the first amateur in more than 43 years to win an LPGA Tour event and the youngest ever to do so, surpassing the previous record held by Lexi Thompson.
10. In her first full season as a professional (2014), she won three LPGA events and was named Rookie of the Year.
Ko during the 2009 New Zealand Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships
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11. Ko was named New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year three times: in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
12. In 2015 and 2016, Ko dominated women’s tennis, winning nine LPGA Tour titles and three Ladies European Tour titles, including two major championships and an Olympic silver medal.
13. In 2015, the New Zealander became the youngest player and youngest player to reach number 1 in the world rankings.
14. Ko was twice named to the ESPNW Impact 25 list of the 25 athletes and influencers who have had the greatest impact on women in sports.
15. Ko was coached by David Leadbetter at the start of her professional career before the couple controversially split in 2016. In an interview with New Zealand’s Radio Sport, Leadbetter said: “Her parents have a lot to answer for. They tell her what time to go to bed, what to eat, what to wear, when to train and what to train. And they expect her to win every tournament.”
Ko won bronze at the 2021 Olympic Games, finishing behind Mone Inami and Nelly Korda
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16. Her sponsors include ECCO and Lexus, while Ko’s bag now consists mostly of Titleist clubs after her five-year contract with PXG expired in early 2022.
17. Although Ko failed to win on the LPGA Tour in 2019 and 2020, she returned to winning ways at the 2021 Lotte Championship and also added a bronze medal to her list of honors at the Tokyo Olympics that summer.
18. Ko returned to form and won the 2022 CME Group Tour Championship, earning a record $2 million in winnings. With the win, Ko won the season’s money title, the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average and the LPGA Player of the Year award.
19. In December 2022, Ko married Chung Jun, the son of Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young, at Myeondong Cathedral in Seoul.
20. At the end of 2023, Ko became the first winner of the Grant Thornton Invitational along with Jason Day. The pair shot rounds of 58, 66 and 66 to win by one stroke.
21. At Paris 2024, Ko won Olympic gold, completing her personal set and subsequently securing a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.
22. At the age of 27, Ko won the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, her third major championship title.
Lydia Ko holds up the 2024 AIG Women’s Open trophy after her two-stroke victory at St. Andrews
(Image credit: Getty Images)
LYDIA KO BIO
| Full name | Bo-Gyung “Lydia” Ko |
| Born | April 24, 1997 – Seoul, South Korea |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 feet 5 inches) |
| college | Korea University |
| Became a professional | 2013 |
| Current tours | LPGA-Tour |
| Professional victories (non-majors) | 25 |
| Big wins | 3 |
| Highest Rolex ranking in career | 1. (85 weeks) |
| Career income | 19.2 million US dollars |
LYDIA KO WINS ON THE LPGA TOUR
| Year | Event | Winning score |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | -13 (three lines) |
| 2013 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | -15 (five strokes) |
| 2014 | Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic | -12 (one line) |
| 2014 | Marathon Classic | -15 (one line) |
| 2014 | Master the 8th Championship of Superlatives on the CME Group Tour | -10 (playoff) |
| 2015 | ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open | -9 (two dashes) |
| 2015 | Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic | -8 (playoff) |
| 2015 | Canadian Pacific Women’s Open | -12 (play-off) |
| 2015 | The Evian Championship (Major) | -16 (six strokes) |
| 2015 | Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship | -20 (nine strokes) |
| 2016 | Kia Classic | -19 (four strokes) |
| 2016 | ANA Inspiration (major) | -12 (one line) |
| 2016 | Walmart NW Arkansas Championship | -17 (three lines) |
| 2016 | Marathon Classic | -14 (play-off) |
| 2018 | This is my LPGA Mediheal Championship. | -12 (play-off) |
| 2021 | Lotte-Championship | -28 (seven strokes) |
| 2022 | Gainbridge LPGA in Boca Rio | -14 (one line) |
| 2022 | BMW Ladies Championship | -21 (four strokes) |
| 2022 | Master the 8th Championship of Superlatives on the CME Group Tour | -17 (two lines) |
| 2024 | Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions | -14 (two dashes) |
| 2024 | Olympic Golf Games 2024 in Paris | -10 (two lines) |
| 2024 | AIG Women’s Open (Major) | -7 (two lines) |
