Lydia Ko secured the gold medal and a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame during a thrilling finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday. Ko delivered an impressive final round score of 71, finishing two shots ahead of Germany’s Esther Henseleit, who took silver, and three shots ahead of China’s Xiyu Lin, who claimed bronze.
With this achievement, Ko has made history as the first golfer in the modern era to earn three Olympic medals, adding this gold to the bronze she won at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the silver from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
The gold medal also provided Ko with the crucial point needed for induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame, a prestigious honor that requires players to accumulate at least 27 points. Points can be earned through victories in LPGA official tournaments, Olympic medals, Vare Trophy wins, Player of the Year awards, and major championships, which are valued at two points. To qualify, a player must also have at least one major win or similar accolade.
Having achieved her 20th LPGA career victory at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January, Ko just needed this final point to secure her Hall of Fame status. She narrowly missed the opportunity to do so the previous week at the LPGA Drive On Championship, where she finished second.
At the age of 27, Ko becomes the 35th inductee into the LPGA Hall of Fame, the youngest by the latest criteria, and the first since Lorena Ochoa’s induction in 2022. She is also the first active player to be inducted since Inbee Park in 2016, and the first Hall of Fame member from New Zealand.
Throughout the tournament, Ko started the final round tied for the lead with Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux at nine under par, while Rose Zhang and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita followed closely at seven under. The excitement unfolded early when Metraux struggled, shooting five-over over her first five holes.
Although Ko also bogeyed her first hole, she quickly rebounded with birdies on the third and seventh holes, establishing a two-shot lead. A birdie on the ninth expanded her lead to four shots heading into the back nine. After parring the 11th, her lead increased to five, but a double-bogey on the 13th reduced it to three as Henseleit gained ground.
Henseleit managed to narrow Ko’s lead to just one shot by birdying the 17th and 18th holes. Ko, however, remained composed, parring her way to the final hole. On the par-5 18th, she confidently managed her drive, laid up for a solid approach shot, and secured her gold with a birdie, finishing with a two-shot advantage.
Americans Rose Zhang, Nelly Korda, and Lilia Vu finished in ties for 8th, 22nd, and 36th place, respectively.