“I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs between 2015, 2016 to 2024,” Ko added. “A lot of things have happened. When things are going well, it’s kind of hard to think about when you’re not playing well because all you’re really doing is just enjoying that moment.
“On the other hand, when things aren’t going well, you feel like you’re never going to get out of that lull. I’ve been in both of those positions. We are all trying to peak at the five majors but it’s hard to kind of time that; and how do you time that? You’re just waiting for that moment.”
Ko started her year of resurgence with victory at the season-opening Hilton Grand
Vacations Tournament of Champions, one of three top-four finishes in her first four events, although struggled in the majors throughout 2024 before her St Andrews
Lydia Ko celebrated Olympic gold and major glory in a fortnight after following her Paris success with a memorable two-shot win at the AIG Women’s Open; victory on the iconic Old Course at St Andrews lifts Ko to world No 3
Lydia Ko said after securing Olympic gold that she wanted to win one more major in her glittering career, with that goal completed at the first time of asking to complete a ‘Cinderella’ summer.
Ko became the first golfer in history to earn all three Olympic medals in golf after following a silver at the 2016 Games in Rio and bronze in Tokyo with a two-shot win in Paris, with the victory also qualifying her as the newest inductee into the LPGA Hall of
rame.
The New Zealander warned the following week at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish
Open about her disappointing AlG Women’s Open record, only to rip up the history books in the final women’s major of the year and end her eight-year wait for an elusive third major title.
Ko overturned a three-stroke deficit on the final day to claim a two-shot victory at St Andrews and spark emotional celebrations for her and her husband, with victory at the Home of Golf capping off the most magical month of her golfing life.
“It’s been a crazy past few weeks,” Ko said after her win at the Old Course. “Something that was too good to be true happened and I honestly didn’t think it could be any better.
“Obviously that being here at the Old Course at St Andrews, it makes it so much more special. I just got to realise what a historic and special place this golf course is, and it’s honestly been such a fairy tale. I’m on cloud nine, really.”
Ko won the Evian Championship as an 18-year-old in 2015 and added the Chevron Championship a year later to become the youngest golfer to claim two women’s majors, although was unable to add to that tally until holding off Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and Jiyai Shin to prevail in Scotland.