Lydia Ko: From golf star to new dreams and mental strength!

Lydia Ko: From golf star to new dreams and mental strength!

Lydia Ko, one of the most prominent figures in women's golf, has endured a challenging journey through her sporting career and personal life. She began her golf training at the age of five and reached the top of the world rankings at just 17 years old. Her impressive accomplishments, including three Olympic medals and multiple LPGA major titles, have earned her induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame. Despite her successes, Ko has struggled with various challenges in recent years, particularly regarding her mental health.

About ten years ago, Lydia Ko began studying psychology at Korea University. Unfortunately, her intense golf career often prevented her from pursuing her academic ambitions. She speaks openly about her feelings of isolation from the academic experience and has expressed a desire to study at Stanford University and play college golf in the United States after her golf career. She describes 30 as her “retirement age” and then plans to devote herself intensively to her education.

Mental health and resilience

Lydia Ko has spoken very openly in recent years about the mental challenges she faces. In an interview with Golf.com, she explained how she copes with fear and pressure and emphasizes the importance of open dialogue about these topics. Ko continues to see a sports psychologist regularly and describes her mental coach as a “dumpster” into which she dumps her negative thoughts. This analogy helps her to concentrate on her positive development and to process the stresses.

The years between 2018 and 2021 were particularly difficult for Ko, during which she failed to win a single victory and struggled with mental health problems. Despite her 14 tournament wins by 2016, the winless period was detrimental to her self-confidence. Last season she needed sponsor exemptions to ensure her title defense. Her mental coach, Chung Green of Green Coaching Solutions, reminds her that focusing on results can distract her from her best performance.

A new path and the pursuit of balance

Despite these setbacks, Ko has found a way to enjoy golf again. She often appears carefree while playing and supports her competitors, which helps her reduce the pressure. At a tournament at Le Golf National, she demonstrated this ease by remaining calm and collected even in difficult moments, such as a double hit on the back nine.

Lydia Ko, the LPGA's youngest Hall of Famer, demonstrates a remarkable level of strength and determination as she continues to pursue her passion for golf and psychology. The decision to adopt a puppy named Kai reflects her desire to find balance between her professional and personal life. This resilience and her willingness to openly share her challenges is appreciated by many of her fans and supporters.

Overall, Lydia Ko's story shows that behind an athlete's successes there is often a difficult and complex journey, characterized by personal struggles and the pursuit of growth.