Lydia Ko says Grand Slam chase could delay any retirement plans
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New Zealand's Lydia Ko poses with her trophy after winning the 2024 Women's British Open on Aug 25.
PHOTO: AFP
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ORLANDO – Lydia Ko has renewed ambitions of completing a career Grand Slam and, after a two-week span that included an Olympic gold medal and a Women’s British Open triumph, said on Aug 28 that the goal could impact the timing of her retirement.
Following a Paris Games triumph that secured her spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame, the 27-year-old New Zealander ended an eight-year wait for a third Major on Aug 25 that moved her to third in the world rankings.
The success reignited talk about her inevitable retirement, a discussion that has followed her around ever since she said at 17 after turning professional that she planned to retire at 30.
Having only just returned home to the United States following her recent successes, the former world No. 1 has not had an opportunity to think about her future but plans to set aside time to reconsider her options.
“I do think it is an aspect that I need to think more about but I have always felt like I want to leave the game while I still love it and, if possible, when I am still playing well,” Ko said in a phone interview.
“If things are going well it obviously gives you motivation and you think it’s always going to be that way... but I know that’s not the case. And I have always felt like I want to leave it feeling like, ‘Okay, if I stayed on maybe I could have done more’ rather than thinking ‘Oh I should have left then’.”
Ko admitted that early in her career, one of her goals was to win all five Majors on the LPGA circuit, but that subsequently changed after a long dry spell.
She won her first Major at the 2015 Evian Championship, before the Chevron Championship a year later.
Now, fresh off her British Open triumph and with only the Women’s US Open and PGA Championship standing in her way of that feat, Ko said visions of completing a career Grand Slam could keep her around a while longer.
Seven women, including Park In-bee, Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb, are recognised as having completed the career grand slam by winning four different Majors. But no golfer has won all five as the Evian event was recognised as a Major only from 2013.
“That is probably maybe like my new goal just because I always want to be able to work towards something,” Ko added.
“And who knows, I’ve said I would love to win another Major before I retire and that happened at the British, so never say never.” REUTERS
