Lydia Ko Issues Alarming Retirement Update Yet Again After Deciding to ‘Never Play’ Beyond Thirty

So, if you have been following Lydia Ko for a while, you probably know that her confidence plays a major role in her awesome gameplay. The young golfer had a moderate 2023 season, which damaged her confidence. She leveled up in late 2024, but the “Should I retire?” thoughts still crept in. Then she went off at the Olympics and AIG Women’s Open, pushing those doubts aside for now.

During an interview with Golf Monthly, Lydia Ko accepted that her poor form in 2023, “made me question my place in the game a bit.” A flat spot in 2024 was another dent in her confidence. Even her mom admits—15-year-old Lydia was better than she is now. Add to that her father’s remark that she was super competitive on the greens as a child. Suddenly, it sounds grave.

Recently, the 27-year-old golfer sat down for the press conference for the HSBC Women’s World Championship. And her retirement plans before 30? Still the same. When asked, Ko simply replied that she’s taking one day at a time. “My schedule has changed. I’ve gone from thinking I was going to play ten, 15 events this year to now playing over 20, and then also kind of reassessing during the middle of the season like where I am with my energy levels to me thinking, am I going to play more or less.”