“It would be a hell of a way to do it,” the 28-year-old not only said but did it. Lydia Ko won the Olympic gold medal in 2024 while her closest pursuers, including Nelly Korda and Rose Zhang, fell back with big blunders. Ko built a five-shot lead on the back nine at Le Golf National before hanging on for a two-shot victory, finishing at 10-under 278. Esther Henseleit of Germany took silver with a 66, while Xiyu Lin of China secured bronze with a 69. Ko’s victory marked a perfect end to a remarkable week, and she became the 35th player to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame, and the second-youngest behind Australian great Karrie Webb, and the feeling is still all too surreal for her.

Speaking on the latest episode of Golf.com’s YouTube Channel, Lydia Ko shared the thrilling moment she realized she would become the only golfer with three Olympic medals. “It became clear to me like, oh gosh, it’s happening,” Ko said, describing the feeling that came over her around the 10th hole. However, it wasn’t until she hit her second shot on the 18th hole that her nerves settled, and she felt confident about securing the medal. “When I hit that second shot on 18, when I hit the eight iron, that’s when I was like, you know what, I got this,” Ko recalled. “But up until then, I was shaking.”

The New Zealand golfer credited the support of her loved ones, particularly her father-in-law, who was in the crowd. “Out of the 30,000 people that were there, I could hear his voice… He was like, ‘Lydia,’ and then he was like, ‘You’re lying,'” Ko said, laughing about the moment.

Ko’s father-in-law is none other than , who is the Vice Chairman of Hyundai Card, and her husband, Jun Chung, is also a Vice Chairman of the same card company. This emotional support helped her stay focused and calm under pressure. Reflecting on her win, Ko humbly stated, “I think I won because I didn’t think I deserved to win almost… because it felt too good to be true.”

And just weeks after her Olympic glory came her third major title at the Women’s British Open at St. Andrews on August 25. The cherry on top, you may ask? Well, it was her first major triumph in eight years, and it’s all thanks to that two-shot victory. And even though she is not over her previous amazing feat yet, Ko is all ready to make a new one!

Lydia Ko knows what her next ‘biggest goal’ is

New Zealand golf icon Lydia Ko is gearing up for her 14th season on the LPGA tour, and she’s got her sights set on a new challenge: a career grand slam. After earning Hall of Fame status last year, Ko’s shown no signs of slowing down. She’s already won three major championships – the Evian Championship, the Chevron Championship, and the British Open – and now she’s aiming to complete the set by winning the US Open and the PGA Championship.

“I would love to do the career Grand Slam,” Ko said. “It’s hard winning one major championship, but to win five, and they all be different ones, it’s a very small group of players who have done it.”

Ko’s ambitious goal is set against the backdrop of a busy 2025 schedule, with 23 tournaments lined up. As the defending champion of the Tournament of Champions, Ko’s looking to start the season strong. She credits her victory in the same event last year with giving her the confidence and momentum she needed to go on and claim bigger wins, including her Olympic gold medal and British Open title.

Now, she’s focused on building good rhythm and momentum leading up to the US Open and PGA Championship. “Sometimes you think you work hard and just play the majors, but for me it’s always good to have some sort of momentum,” Ko said. So, do you think she can achieve her goal this year as well? Let us know in the comment section below!