Hello, Golf fans! If you love following the Golf and admire world-class, Lydia Ko is a name you’ll recognize instantly. Lydia Ko is one of the most successful and influential modern golfers, with a long list of LPGA wins, majors, Olympic medals and record-breaking earnings heading into 2026. She combines a very early start in golf with a calm personality, strong family support and a settled married life in recent years.
Lydia Ko’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Bo-Gyung “Lydia” Ko |
| Nickname | Lyds |
| Born | April 24, 1997, Seoul, South Korea |
| Age | 28 years old |
| College | Korea University |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Height | 5’5″ (165 cm) |
| Turned Pro | 2013 |
| Net Worth | $25 million |
| Annual Salary | $5.4+ million |
| Husband | Jun Chung |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Instagram Profile | @lydsko |
Early Career
Lydia Ko started swinging clubs at age five when her mom took her to Pupuke Golf Club in Auckland. By 2011, she was winning the Australian Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and in 2012 she claimed both the Australian Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur titles.
At just 14, she became the youngest winner in professional golf history, and as an amateur, she finished low in six women’s major tournaments. Her amateur resume was so stacked that turning pro seemed like the only logical next step.
Professional Career
Ko made her professional debut in 2013 and joined the LPGA Tour in 2014, immediately making waves by winning the Rookie of the Year award. She became the youngest player ever to reach world number one in February 2015 at just 17 years, 9 months, and 9 days old. Throughout her career, she’s accumulated 23 LPGA Tour victories including three major championships—the 2015 Evian Championship, 2016 ANA Inspiration, and 2024 AIG Women’s Open.
Her Olympic journey is equally impressive, with a silver medal in Rio 2016, bronze in Tokyo 2020, and gold in Paris 2024, making her the only golfer in the modern era to win all three Olympic medals. She was named LPGA Player of the Year in 2015 and 2022, and in 2024 became the youngest inductee into the LPGA Hall of Fame at age 27.
Husband
Lydia Ko tied the knot with Jun Chung on December 30, 2022, at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul. Jun is the son of Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young and works in finance with Hyundai Motor Group. The couple keeps things pretty low-key, but you’ll often spot Jun supporting Lydia at various tournaments. They don’t have any children yet, as Lydia is still fully focused on her golf career and adding more trophies to her already packed cabinet.
Lydia Ko’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Lydia Ko’s net worth sits at a cool $25 million, making her one of the wealthiest female golfers in the world. This fortune comes from both her impressive tournament earnings and lucrative endorsement deals. Her official career prize money alone has surpassed $20.5 million, placing her second on the all-time LPGA money list, and when you factor in her sponsorships, she’s pulling in over $5 million annually.
Prize Money
| Tournament/Season | Prize Money |
| Career Earnings (2026) | $20,595,105+ |
| 2025 HSBC Women’s World Championship | $360,000 |
| 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations TOC | $225,000 |
| 2024 AIG Women’s Open | $1,350,000 |
| 2022 CME Group Tour Championship | $2,000,000 |
| 2021 Season Earnings | $1,522,181 |
| 2020 Season Earnings | $660,183 |
| 2015 Season Earnings | $2,800,802 |
| 2014 Rookie Earnings | $2,089,033 |
| Fastest to $1 Million | 16 events (age 17) |
| Fastest to $5 Million | 52 events (age 18) |
Endorsements
- Excel Sports Management – Her agency representation since 2024
- 2K Sports – Featured as a playable pro in PGA Tour 2K23 video game
- Hana Financial Bank – Major Korean financial sponsor since 2020
- ECCO Golf – Footwear partner since 2017, renewed in 2021
- PROTOCONCEPT Golf/Golf Partner – Iron-only equipment deal extended through 2025
- Callaway – Previous equipment sponsor before switching to PROTOCONCEPT
- Lexus – Luxury automotive partner
- Renoma – Apparel sponsor
Career Records
| Record/Achievement | Details | Notable Opponents/Context |
| Youngest World No. 1 | 17 years, 9 months, 9 days (Feb 2015) | Surpassed Tiger Woods (21) and Jiyai Shin (22) |
| Youngest 2-Time Major Winner | 18 years, 11 months, 10 days (2016) | Beat Inbee Park at 2015 Evian, won 2016 ANA Inspiration |
| Youngest Olympic Medalist | 19 years old (Rio 2016 Silver) | Defeated field including Inbee Park, Shanshan Feng |
| First LPGA Win | 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open | Defeated Inbee Park by 3 strokes at age 15 |
| Largest Margin Victory | 9 strokes (2015 Fubon LPGA Taiwan) | Beat Ji Eun-hee and Ryu So-yeon |
| CME Globe Champion | 2014, 2015, 2022 | Competed against Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda |
| LPGA Hall of Fame | Youngest inductee (2024, age 27) | Joined legends like Annika Sorenstam, Mickey Wright |
| Olympic Medal Sweep | Only golfer with Gold, Silver, Bronze | Competed against Nelly Korda, Jin Young Ko |
| Race to CME Globe | 3-time champion | Beat out Ariya Jutanugarn, Minjee Lee |
| Career Top 10s | 116+ and counting | Consistently outperformed top field weekly |
FAQs
1. Is Lydia Ko Korean or New Zealander?
Lydia Ko is a New Zealand citizen who represents New Zealand in international competitions. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, on April 24, 1997, and moved to New Zealand with her family at age four. She became a naturalized New Zealand citizen at age 12 and has identified as Kiwi throughout her professional career.
2. What did Lydia Ko accomplish as an amateur golfer?
As an amateur, Ko won the Australian Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2012. At 14, she became the youngest winner of a professional tournament at the 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open. She also finished as low amateur in six women’s major championships and was the top-ranked amateur in the world for 130 weeks.
3. When and why did Lydia Ko turn professional?
Ko turned professional in October 2013 at age 16 after exhausting all amateur accomplishments. The LPGA granted her a special exemption to join the tour in 2014 despite being under the age limit of 18. She had already won professional events as an amateur and reached world number one in amateur rankings.
4. How many major championships has Lydia Ko won?
Lydia Ko has won three major championships: the 2015 Evian Championship, the 2016 ANA Inspiration (now Chevron Championship), and the 2024 AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews. Her victories span nearly a decade, demonstrating remarkable longevity at the highest level.
5. What Olympic medals has Lydia Ko won?
Ko is the only golfer in the modern era to win all three Olympic medals. She won silver at Rio 2016, bronze at Tokyo 2020, and gold at Paris 2024. This unique achievement automatically qualified her for the LPGA Hall of Fame under the “extraordinary contributions” category.
6. What records does Lydia Ko hold for reaching world number one?
Ko became the youngest player of either gender to reach world number one in February 2015 at 17 years, 9 months, and 9 days old. She broke records previously held by Tiger Woods (21) and Jiyai Shin (22). She has held the top ranking for 125 weeks across multiple stints.
7. What golf equipment does Lydia Ko currently use?
Ko uses PROTOCONCEPT irons after signing a three-year endorsement extension in 2023. She previously used Callaway equipment before making the switch. She also wears ECCO golf shoes, which she has endorsed since 2017, and her contract was renewed in 2021.
8. Where did Lydia Ko attend college?
Ko studied psychology at Korea University, beginning her coursework in 2015 while maintaining her professional playing schedule. She balanced online and in-person classes during tournament breaks, demonstrating her commitment to education alongside her golf career.
9. What is Lydia Ko’s net worth and career earnings?
As of 2026, Ko’s net worth is approximately $25 million. Her official LPGA career earnings exceed $20.5 million, placing her second on the all-time money list. She earns over $5 million annually when combining prize money and endorsement deals with brands like Hana Financial Bank and PROTOCONCEPT.
10. When did Lydia Ko enter the LPGA Hall of Fame?
Ko became the youngest inductee in LPGA Hall of Fame history in 2024 at age 27. She qualified through multiple criteria: 15 tour wins, two major championships, and her Olympic medal sweep. The Hall of Fame waived the standard 10-year membership requirement due to her extraordinary achievements.