WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Hall of Famer Lydia Ko has been named a Dame in the New Zealand New Year’s Honors List for services to golf.
Damehood is the female equivalent of knighthood and she became Dame Lydia Ko after receiving one of New Zealand’s highest civilian honors on Tuesday.
Ko is the youngest New Zealander at the age of 27 to receive this honour.
Born in Korea, Ko won the women’s tournament at this year’s Paris Olympics and also became the 35th and youngest person inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 2024. Ko won a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and a silver medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Ko was described in a citation attached to the honors list as New Zealand’s most successful golfer with 30 professional wins, including three in majors.
In 2012, Ko became the youngest player and youngest player to win a professional championship when she won the women’s New South Wales Open in Australia at the age of 14.
A year later, at the age of 15, she became the youngest player to win an LPGA tournament. In February 2015, at the age of 17 years, 9 months and 9 days, she became the youngest player and the youngest player to be ranked number one in the world.
Ko is based in Orlando, Florida.
