Lydia Ko made history on day 15 of the Games before confirming it would be her last time wearing the Olympic rings.
Video / NZ Herald
If you were to search Lydia Ko’s Wikipedia page, the word “youngest” would appear 54 times.
That number has increased by one as the 27-year-old Kiwi golfer was made a dame for services to golf in the 2025 New Year Honours List – and became the youngest modern-era dame or knight – eclipsing British sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur, who was 28 when she was honoured.
Already recognised with a New Zealand Order of Merit, Ko said to be made a dame was very special not only for her but for everyone around her who had made her dream of being a professional golfer a reality.
“Those opportunities don’t come to everyone and for me to have this amazing opportunity, it makes me very proud.
“I think it’s a moment that’s special for all of us, obviously it’s special for the person but it’s a recognition for everyone involved because I wouldn’t be here today without them.”
An emotional Dame Lydia Ko during the medal ceremony at the Paris Olympics. Photo / Photosport
Renowned for her humility, Ko said she had to think before accepting the honour, initially unsure whether she was deserving.
“I did think about it, because you don’t really grow up thinking, ‘Oh, I’m going to become a dame’. You might say, ‘I’m going to become a Hall of Famer,’ or, ‘I’m going to be the world No 1 in my sport,’ but it’s so above [those] and very different and above what we can control as well.
“I thought about do I deserve it? Is this the right time? But I always feel like to have these kind of opportunities and for someone else to bring it up, it’s not my idea and I’m obviously very grateful that other people are giving me this opportunity ... not everybody gets that.”
Sir Bob Charles is the only other Kiwi professional golfer to be made a dame or a knight and Ko said it was an honour to have her name alongside his and those of other New Zealand sporting greats.
“I think that’s why I had to think about whether I even deserve this. I think the only other golfer within New Zealand who has a damehood [or] knighthood is Sir Bob Charles, I’m guessing, so to be alongside that same kind of group as Sir Bob is very honourable for me too.”
Ko has achieved nearly everything there is to tick off in the world of golf, having said after her Olympic gold in Paris she would like to break her eight-year major title drought – and achieved that feat just two weeks later at the Women’s British Open at St Andrews.
Yet there is one crown she says she still chases from the early days of her career as she looks ahead to 2025 and beyond.
“I think I took a step back and first just accepted what just happened in these past three weeks [after winning the Women’s Open] but after a while I decided that I would love a chance to go for the career grand slam, winning all five of the different majors.
“I think that was actually one of my initial goals when I first started on tour but then I realised winning one major is hard and winning five majors is even more difficult, but winning all five of the different majors, it’s a very small circle of people that have done that – especially in this day and age, the competition is very high.
“Winning the Women’s Open gave me belief that I can do it, of all the majors the Women’s British Open is where I’ve had the least amount of success, the most amount of missed cuts as well, so if I can break those odds I feel like, why not?
“Even if it doesn’t happen, that doesn’t define my career.”
Lydia Ko after winning the Women's Open. Photo / Getty Images
The damehood is a recognition of a remarkable golfing career. It began in 2007 when at just 7 years old she competed at the New Zealand national amateur championships after moving from Korea and knowing only four letters of the alphabet “in the wrong order”, Ko said.
Five years later, in 2012, Ko became the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event at the Women’s NSW Open on the ALPG Tour, aged 14.
She then became the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA Tour event at the Canadian Open that same year and defended the title in 2013, before announcing she would turn professional in 2014, having previously had to give her winner’s purse to the runner-up at professional events.
The LPGA Tour granted her request to join the tour, waiving requirements for members to be 18 years old, with tour commissioner Mike Whan saying, “It is not often that the LPGA welcomes a rookie who is already a back-to-back LPGA Tour champion.”
Ko’s first professional win on the LPGA Tour came in 2014 at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic and she celebrated her 17th birthday during the tournament.
In 2015, Ko became world No 1 for the first time and won her 10th professional title at the New Zealand Women’s Open, scoring a course-record 61 in the second round.
2015 would become a landmark year for the then-18-year-old, as she won the fifth and final major of the year at the Evian Championship by six shots – her fourth win of the year – and became the youngest player ever to win an LPGA Tour major title.
Lydia Ko celebrates with the Evian Championship. Photo / AP
Ko won four LPGA titles in 2016, including her second major title at the ANA Inspiration and the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, before her first winless season in 2017 since she turned professional.
She won just once in 2018 and then went three years without a title until the 2021 Lotte Championship, where she won by seven strokes and regained championship form, to then claim the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Three wins in 2022 from 22 starts, including the Tour Championship and a record US$2 million ($3.5m) prize, elevated her to the top of the LPGA Tour money list and earned her the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average. She was also named LPGA Player of the Year. That year she returned to world No 1 status for the first time since 2017.
In 2023 Ko had two wins, but neither was on the LPGA Tour. She won the Aramco Saudi Ladies International in Saudi Arabia for the second time and the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational mixed team tournament with playing partner Jason Day.
While not her most successful year in terms of the number of wins, 2024 was undoubtedly the most remarkable for Ko. She won her first LPGA Tour title since 2022 at the Tournament of Champions before completing the trifecta of bronze, silver and gold Olympic medals at the Paris Games – the gold qualifying her for the LPGA Tour’s Hall of Fame as the 35th and youngest inductee.
Now Dame Lydia Ko, she joins the likes of Dame Valerie Adams, Dame Sophie Pascoe and Dame Lisa Carrington in receiving the title while still competing.
Other sporting recipients of New Year Honours 2025
Ian Foster – Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:CNZM
Ian Foster. Photo / Photosport
Ian Foster was one of the first Super Rugby players to transition into coaching. He coached more than 100 games for the Chiefs across eight years before joining the All Blacks. He worked as a selector and also worked alongside Sir Steve Hansen on strategy, focusing on back play and attack.
Foster is the most-capped Waikato player of all time with 148 between 1985 and 1998, as well as 26 games for the Chiefs between 1996 and 1997.
He became an All Blacks assistant coach in 2012 and graduated to head coach in 2019. The proudest moment of Foster’s four-year tenure at the helm was the 11-12 loss in the World Cup final against South Africa in Paris.
John Hart – Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:CNZM
John Hart. Photo / Photosport
John Hart began his coaching career in 1982, leading Auckland to three National Provincial Championship titles and a record-breaking 61 successful defences of the Ranfurly Shield.
Hart also served as an assistant coach for the All Blacks when they won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987. However, his tenure as co-coach with Alex Wyllie for the 1991 World Cup was marred by a personality clash between the two coaches, which led to a split within the squad. After the All Blacks’ loss to Australia in the semifinals, Wyllie resigned and Hart sought to become the head coach, but was beaten to the post by Laurie Mains.
Hart eventually took over as head coach in 1998 and achieved notable successes, including the team’s first-ever series win in South Africa and three Tri-Nations victories. His tenure came to an end when New Zealand unexpectedly lost to France in the semifinal of the 1999 World Cup.
In addition to his coaching career, Hart has also been involved in rugby league, serving as the executive director of football for the New Zealand Warriors. For his contributions to rugby, Hart was appointed an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1997.
Samuel Whitelock – Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit: ONZM
Sam Whitelock. Photo / Photosport
Samuel Whitelock retired in 2024 after a remarkable 14-year international rugby career. He holds the record for the most test caps for the All Blacks, with 153.
He made his debut for the All Blacks in 2010 and quickly established himself as a key player. Whitelock was known for his durability and lineout expertise, and he formed a formidable locking combination with Brodie Retallick.
At 29, Whitelock was the youngest All Black to reach 100 tests. During his career he also had success at the Super Rugby level, captaining the Crusaders to three consecutive titles.
He captained the All Blacks in 18 tests and was a member of the World Cup-winning 2011 and 2015 teams.
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: MNZM
Noel Graham Harris – for services to the thoroughbred racing industry.
King’s Service Medal: KSM
Colin Terence Campbell – for services to horse racing and governance.
Sally Elizabeth Davies – for services to hockey and nursing.
Peter Colin Hensman – for services to cricket and the community.
Neville Gordon Phillips – for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and ice sports.
David Malcolm James Richmond – for services to sport, particularly athletics and cricket.
Phyllis Rosemary Weir – for services to cricket and horticulture.
Will Toogood is an online sports editor and golf reporter for the NZ Herald. He enjoys watching people chase a ball around on a grass surface so much he decided to make a living out of it.
