Lydia Ko is without a doubt, the best Kiwi to ever tee it up.
She has 28 professional wins with two major championships to boot.
A child prodigy, Ko began playing golf at the age of five and gained national attention at 14 when she became the then-youngest winner of any professional golf tour event. That title now belongs to her colleague, Brooke Henderson, who broke Ko’s record that same year.
Later in 2012, Ko became the youngest LPGA winner at just 15-years-old at the CN Canadian Open. Not looking back, Ko has continued to rack up wins and dominate in spurts on the LPGA.
Three wins in 2014 earned her LPGA Rookie of the Year honors. Winning five times in 2015, Ko climbed to No. 1 in the world which culminated in her first major title at the Evian Championship.
Winning is what Ko does.
All her wins came before being eligible to become a mid-amateur. Her dominance at such a young age is one of the things that make Ko so special. Luckily for us, it looks like she’ll be around for awhile longer.
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - MARCH 04: Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays her shot from the third…Lydia Ko hits her tee shot on the 13th hole during a practice round at the…Lydia Ko talks with with Ariya Jutanugarn and Jessica Korda while standing on the fifteenth tee…Lydia Ko celebrates after winning the 2016 ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho…GULLANE, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 03: Lydia Ko of New Zealand tees off on the first hole…GULLANE, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 03: Lydia Ko of New Zealand looks on with caddies during the…Lydia Ko looks on prior to the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club…TOLEDO, OHIO - AUGUST 01: Lydia Ko of New Zealand walks under an umbrella to avoid…SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - FEBRUARY 28: Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays her shot from the second…SINGAPORE - MARCH 03: Lydia Ko of New Zealand celebrates her birdie on the 17th hole…PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS - FEBRUARY 06: Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Jessica Korda walk to…CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 01: Lydia Ko of New Zealand teeing off during the ISPS…OCALA, FL - FEBRUARY 04: Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays a shot on the 15th…CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses with the New Zealand…RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - APRIL 04: Lydia Ko of New Zealand checks her book on the…COQUITLAM, BC - AUGUST 26: Amateur Lydia Ko of New Zealand and caddie Brian Alexander pose…AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - APRIL 27: Lydia Ko tees off during the New Zealand Men's &…Lydia Ko tees off on the 18th hole during the 2022 CME Group Tour Golf Championship…NAPLES, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 16: Lydia Ko of New Zealand answers questions from the media during…Lydia Ko talks with coach Sean Foley during a practice round ahead of the 2021 CME…NAPLES, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 17: Lydia Ko of New Zealand looks on during the first round…Lydia Ko looks on during the second round of the 2022 CME Group Tour Championship at…Lydia Ko poses with the CME Globe trophy after winning the CME Group Tour Championship at…Lydia Ko poses for a photo with the Vare Trophy, the Rolex Player of the Year…Lydia Ko plays her shot from the 15th tee during the final round of the CME…Lydia Ko is presented the winner's check from CME Group CEO Terry Duffy after winning the…NAPLES, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 20: Lydia Ko of New Zealand receives the winners jacket from CME…Lydia Ko poses for a photo with her fiancé, the Vare Trophy, the Rolex Player of…NAPLES, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 20: Lydia Ko of New Zealand waves to fans as she approaches…Lydia Ko of New Zealand is poured champagne after winning the tournament on the 18th green…Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses for a photo with the Vare Trophy, the Rolex Player…Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses with the CME Globe trophy after winning the CME Group…Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses for a photo with her fiancé, the Vare Trophy, the…Lydia Ko poses iwth the trophy after winning the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International.Lydia Ko of New Zealand hugs her caddie Derek Kistler on the 18th green after winning…Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses for a portrait during the LPGA Photo Shoot leading up…Lydia Ko speak to the media at the Chevron Championship. (Golfweek photo)Lydia Ko of New Zealand lines up a putt on the eighth hole during the first…Lydia Ko drives off the second tee box during the first round of The Chevron Championship…Lydia Ko checks her yardage book during the Aramco Team Series event in Florida. (Aramco photo)Lydia Ko warms up on the driving range during a practice round ahead of the 2023…Lydia Ko on the first tee box during the second round of the 2023 AIG Women's…Lydia Ko of New Zealand reacts as she walks towards the second fairway during the final…Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Jason Day of Australia during the first round of the…Lydia Ko looks on after playing her shot from the fifth tee during the first round…Lydia Ko of New Zealand walks off the 14th tee during the first round of The…Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Jason Day of Australia walk from the third tee during…Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Jason Day of Australia celebrate with the trophy after winning…Jason Day of Australia and Lydia Ko of New Zealand talk on the second green during…Lydia Ko of New Zealand smiles as she walks off the ninth tee during the third…Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Jason Day of Australia celebrate with the trophy after winning…Lydia Ko of New Zealand acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green after winning the Hilton…Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays her shot from the 18th tee during the final round…Lydia Ko smiles on the 18th green after winning the 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of…Lydia Ko of New Zealand walks the 18th fairway during the final round of the LPGA…Lydia Ko follows her putt on the 18th green during the final round of the LPGA…Nelly Korda of the United States celebrates a victory over Lydia Ko of New Zealand on…Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses with her trophy following her five stroke victory during the…Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses for a photo at the Welcome Reception in Marina Bay…Lydia Ko tees off during first round play of the Meijer LPGA Classic Thursday, June 15,…Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays her shot on the 9th hole during the first round…Lydia Ko tees off during first round play of the Meijer LPGA Classic Thursday, June 15,…Lydia Ko of New Zealand hits a tee shot on the 13th hole during the second…Lydia Ko plays her shot from the seventh tee during the first round of the Ford…Lydia Ko tees off during first round play of the Meijer LPGA Classic Thursday, June 15,…Lydia Ko has an umbrella held by caddie Paul Cormack as they walk the ninth green…Lydia Ko walks from the first tee down to the fairway during the third round of…Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays her shot on the 12th tee during a practice round…Lydia Ko of New Zealand looks on while playing a shot on the 11th green prior…Danielle Kang and Lydia Ko of New Zealand celebrate an eagle on the 11th hole during…Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Danielle Kang hug on the 18th green after Lydia defeats…Danielle Kang of the United States and Lydia Ko of New Zealand walks off the sixth…Lydia Ko of New Zealand looks on during the second round of the Amundi Evian Championship…COQUITLAM, BC - AUGUST 26: Amateur Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses with the trophy and…COQUITLAM, BC - AUGUST 26: Lydia Ko of New Zealand is doused with water by Stacy…VANCOUVER, BC - AUGUST 23: Lydia Ko of New Zealand kisses the trophy after her victory…Lydia Ko plays her shot from the 10th tee during the first round of the 2024…Lydia Ko looks on during the first round of the 2024 CPKC Women's Open at Earl…Lydia Ko of New Zealand holds her bronze medal on the podium at the Tokyo 2020…Lydia Ko (NZL) hits out of a bunker on the 18th hole in the second round…Lydia Ko (New Zealand) on no. 1 in the third round of women's individual stroke play…Lydia Ko of New Zealand on No. 3 in the third round of women's individual stroke…Lydia Ko of New Zealand reacts to the putt of Morgane Metraux of Team Switzerland (not…Lydia Ko of New Zealand signs autographs after finishing her third round at the women's golf…
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