From thoughts of quitting to contemplating a career Grand Slam, Lydia Ko had a stunning turnaround in 2024 that sets her up for what she hopes can be a glorious last few years of her career.
The New Zealander is still only 27 but has been out on tour a long time since bursting onto the scene as a teenager – and after a tough first half of 2024 she wondered whether she should hang up her clubs.
However, appearing in the latest edition of Golf Monthly, she details how she turned things around to win the Olympics and AIG Women’s Open while also becoming the youngest member of the LPGA Hall of Fame.
That’s quite a year for the former child prodigy given “my mum tells me I was a better golfer at 15 than I am now” she tells Golf Monthly.
Ko says that her poor form in 2023 “made me question my place in the game a bit” and that a flat spot in 2024 had her again struggling for confidence.
“It wasn’t exactly rock bottom, but I did start to wonder whether my ‘comeback’ year in 2022 – when I won three times and made it back to World No. 1 – was just a fluke,” Ko told Golf Monthly.
“Those good performances at the start [of 2024] were exactly what I needed. But I really struggled between April and June, and began to question myself again.
“It is all down to confidence. That is such a massive thing. Not much is different with your game. But when you feel good about yourself you get into a really good rhythm and the game feels just a little easier. Not much, but enough to make a difference in terms of results.”
Winning golf in Paris saw Ko become the first golfer to complete the Olympic set having also won silver and bronze in the two previous Games – with the added bonus this year of booking her Hall of Fame spot.
“Winning gold in the Olympics – I can’t think of a better way to get into the Hall of Fame, especially after I was on the podium in each of the two previous Games,” Ko added.
“Any medal is great, but obviously gold is the one that shines brightest! And because it only comes around every four years it becomes even more special.
“It was a memorable summer with the Major coming a couple of weeks later – at the home of golf in St Andrews, which just made it a notch better – and another victory soon after that.”
Ko dreaming of Grand Slam fairytale
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