The best final stroke for Lydia Ko? The Kiwi golfer had always been clear about her plans to retire by the age of thirty. However, the 27 YO is no longer so sure if she is up for dedicating three more years of her life to playing golf. Turned pro over a decade ago, Lydia Ko revealed in February, “I’m honestly taking it by the day and taking it by the week. When that happens, you’re almost, like, in the middle of the year and then you’re done with the majors and all that. So I don’t have a certain, I think, date when I want to retire.”
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While Ko might be seen playing on the greens on the LPGA Tour a few more times, one thing is certain. The Olympics story is over for her, and well, to be fair, she did indeed get the perfect finish too.
Lydia Ko won the gold medal for New Zealand at the Paris Olympics 2024. She defeated Esther Henseleit from Germany by two swings on Saturday to complete her entire medal cycle. Ko was one point away from getting induced into the LPGA HOF, and her win made her the 35th player to enter the prestigious list. Back in 2016, she won the silver medal, and in the last edition in 2020, she bagged the bronze medal.
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A few hours after being crowned the winner, Ko took to her Instagram account to announce her win, expressing her emotions. She confessed, “The Paris 2024 games are officially the last Olympics I will be competing in, and it couldn’t have been more of a fairytale ending to my Olympic career by bringing home a gold medal for my country.” She further added that representing her country has been one of her biggest accomplishments, and she is grateful to be able to listen to the national anthem on the podium in Paris.
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Even last month at the Amundi Evian Championship Press Conference, she had hinted at her retirement plans, which were pretty much unsure. “I’m excited. I don’t know how long I’m going to play golf. Could be five years, ten years, could be one year. I have no idea,” she said. But she will be seen playing at the AIG Women’s Open in St. Andrews for her final European stretch this year.
Well, Lydia Ko is not the only one who plans on retiring early. Most of the players of the younger generation do not wish to stay in the greens as long as Tiger Woods, or Phil Mickelson. Lexi Thompson too followed Ko’s path of retiring.
Lexi Thompson made a surprise retirement at the age of 29
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Lexi Thompson has won eleven tournaments on the LPGA Tour, which includes one Major. She had started her career in golf a bit earlier than most of the players. Back in 2007, when she appeared at the US Women’s Open for the first time, Thompson was only twelve years old. She became the youngest player to have made the cut.
The 2X Olympian has been struggling through the 2024 season, having missed the cut in five of the first seven starts of the year. Four of them were back to back. She has failed to grab a victory since the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic in June. After profound struggles and contemplating the decision, the 29 YO revealed that she will be retiring from full-time competition by the end of this year! Well, Thompson has had her decorated career, and wishes to walk out with her head held high!
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Written by
Aheli Chakraborty
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Swinging for Golf Greatness
Aheli Chakraborty is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature, Aheli has actively covered many big events in the sport, including The Masters. She specializes in covering up-and-coming athletes like Charlie Woods and Ludvig Aberg, and she is always looking to answer her readers’ most-asked questions through her writing! Aheli is also a bodybuilding fanatic and has contributed many niche pieces for ES’ fitness coverage.
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Edited by
Vineet Nandwana
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