‘Love-Hate..Sometimes Hate-Hate’: Lydia Ko’s Worrying Career Update Is a Reflection of LPGA’s Unreal Pressure

You love golf; we love golf! It’s fun, but we all can agree that it can take a toll on your mental health. It has the same effect on pros too. Ask anyone. Be it Rory McIlroy, who had to take a break after the Pinehurst heartbreak, or gold medalist Lydia Ko, who has had her share of ups and downs.

On Thursday, two days after the CME Group Tour Championship, Lydia Ko confessed her conflicted feelings about golf. At her recent appearance, she said, “My relationship with golf is a love-hate affair,” emphasizing the emotional ups and downs associated with the sport. She further added, “Anyone who has been fortunate to play this game knows that it’s a roller coaster,” referring to how she is not alone in thinking so. Many have traveled the road!

The last two years indeed have been a roller coaster ride for Lydia Ko. In 2022, she won three events, including the CME Group Tour Championship, and was even named Player of the Year. But 2023 though was not the same. She won no event and did not even qualify for the season finale as she was 101st in the standings.

“I failed to even qualify and defend my title after competing 100th on the CME standings. Therefore, love-hate… and to be honest, sometimes hate-hate,” relationship with golf, Ko expressed. That sure would have hurt! Surprisingly, this is not the first time the Kiwi golfer has shared about her relationship.

The 27-year-old has been open about her plans for retirement for quite some time. She believes her professional golf career is going to end before her 30s anyway. “I know for a fact I’m probably never playing past 30,” Ko shared with Radio New Zealand. And this timeline has been unchanged even after being the youngest entry to the LPGA Hall of Fame.

When Ko retires, she wants to put her relationships and personal life first. She has been married to Jun Chung since 2022, and she has described him as her rock and a source of encouragement during her career. Ko has also stated that golf no longer defines her and that she has other passions and interests beyond the sport. She stated, “Golf doesn’t complete me; it’s just a part of me.” We know a someone else with these thoughts, Scottie Scheffler!

A few prominent LPGA players, including Lexi Thompson, Catriona Matthew, Marina Alex, Angela Stanford, and Ally Ewing, have decided to retire at the end of this year. Many of them have acknowledged that while they enjoy golf, the pressure is too great.

Why are LPGA pros planning to quit?

On Sunday, 24th November, Marina Alex officially stepped away as a full-time member of the LPGA Tour with the CME Group Tour Championship as her last event. In terms of career, she has had a great year. Back-to-back top-10 finishes in Asia and nearly collecting a third LPGA win at the TOTO Japan Classic. But it seemed like Alex was fighting inside her head.

A similar case is of Lexi Thompson, who had been vocal about her mental health since 2012. Thompson had been fighting in her head—whether to end her golfing career or “push through the pain.” On May 28, 2024, she finally concluded her decision by stating that 2024 would be her last season. “While it is never easy to say goodbye, it is indeed time,” she posted on Instagram, bringing a shocking reaction from the netizens. 

The primary reason behind her retirement is mental health concerns and physical struggles. During the 79th Women’s US Open press conference, Thompson expressed, “I feel like I’m at a point in my life where it is time to just step away from a full-time schedule. It can get lonely. It’s hard to overcome sometimes,” she continued, fighting back her tears. 

Ko had an outstanding year, winning three events. But success can never buy mental peace, can it? As we reflect on Ko’s outstanding season, it is time we think about how golf really puts pressure on athletes.