Well, folks, Lydia Ko is back—like she ever really left! The Kiwi sensation, who’s been a household name in golf since she was a teenager, just added another shiny piece of hardware to her already impressive collection.
Winning the 2024 AIG Women’s Open wasn’t just a victory; it was a statement. Ko bagged her third major title, her first since 2016, and reminded everyone why she was the youngest player ever to hit World No. 1.
In a final round that had more tension than a three-putt for par, Ko shot a 69—get this, the only sub-70 score among the last 15 groups.
She finished the tournament at 281, seven-under-par, putting herself two shots ahead of a fearsome foursome: Lilia Vu, Ruoning Yin, Nelly Korda, and Jiyai Shin, all of whom tied for second. Imagine being that good and still coming in second!
This win was a bit of a full-circle moment for Ko. She’s the first New Zealander to ever win the AIG Women’s Open, and she did it at the very spot where she won the Smyth Salver in 2013 as the top amateur. Talk about coming back to haunt a course—in the best possible way.
But let’s not forget the other star of the show. England’s Lottie Woad grabbed the Smyth Salver this year, finishing as the low amateur with a total of 287, one-under-par.
She didn’t just win; she set a new record for amateurs at St Andrews, finishing four strokes ahead of Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez. Not too shabby for a teenager, eh?
Ko’s victory at the AIG Women’s Open is her 21st career win on the LPGA Tour. That puts her in some pretty exclusive company—only 27 players in history have hit that mark.
And in case you were wondering, Ko has now jumped Inbee Park on the All-Time Career Money List, sliding into fourth place with a jaw-dropping $19,212,009 in earnings. That’s a lot of golf balls.
Lydia Ko’s career has been nothing short of spectacular. From being the youngest to win two majors to hitting No. 1 in the world rankings at an age when most of us were just figuring out how to pay rent, Ko’s journey is the stuff of legends.
And with this latest win, she’s shown the world that she’s far from done. There’s plenty more history left for Lydia Ko to write, and you can bet the golf world will be watching every swing.
