For Lindy Duncan, the moment that nearly ended everything came down to a single hole. It was a number she couldn’t forget, which pushed her to the edge of walking away from the sport she had spent her life chasing. But then, finally, instead of quitting, Duncan chose transformation. And she has gotten the support of none other than Lydia Ko.

Lydia Ko took to her Instagram stories and shared the update on Duncan posted by LPGA Tour’s official handle and wrote, “You’re so amazing @lindyduncan72.. more than you know! Proud of you 🫶🏻”. She further commented on the clip, echoing her strong message to Duncan: “Proud of you @lindyduncan72 ❤️”.

In 2023, Duncan reached the lowest point of her professional career at the LPGA Final Qualifying. She needed only a simple par on the final hole to achieve an LPGA Tour card.

As she recalled, “My ball shot dead right off the clubface, and suddenly, I was in a complete panic. My hands went numb. The air left my lungs. My heart started pounding.” Duncan later described the moment as “an out-of-body experience,” highlighting how pressure completely overtook her physical ability. 

Her errant tee shot triggered a chain reaction, and she topped her next shot into a hazard, then wildly overhit a wedge “sixty feet past the pin,” before ultimately three-putting. The closing hole turned into a quadruple bogey, “an eight. An eight.”

Walking off the course in tears and later reflecting in silence, she confronted a harsh realization: “I had never given golf my everything,” adding, “Here’s the thing about perfectionism: it’s a liar.” The eight on the final hole, however, ultimately became the catalyst for the transformation that followed.

She prepared herself to face the uncertain, and slowly it marked the beginning of the most meaningful stretch of her career. 

So, such a narrative did not just leave Ko amazed, but several others. LPGA pro Annie Park showed support by sharing emojis of praising hands. Auston Kim, on the other hand, commented, “Go Lindy!!”

LIV golfer Byeong Hun An appreciated Duncan’s dedication and commitment and wrote, “One of the hardest workers I know.”

And she is. Last season, still chasing her first LPGA win, Duncan reached the final group at the major Chevron Championship in April. While she lost to Mao Saigo in a five-way playoff, it was her first time reaching that far. Also, the finish was one of six top-10s she’s nailed to grab the 44th spot in the world ranking.

Lydia Ko’s caddie helps Lindy Duncan shine with a top-10 finish

LPGA fans are well aware that Lindy Duncan doesn’t have one permanent caddie. She often changes caddies depending on the tournament, as she prefers to hire local caddies at times since they know the course better. Adding to that, she occasionally works with caddies who usually work for other players. 

Doing this in 2025 went particularly well for her. She bagged 5 top-10 finishes and became the runner-up at the Chevron Championship. However, this act of Duncan led to an interesting incident at the 2025 BMW Ladies Championship. As Lydia Ko was absent from the field, Ko’s regular caddie was on Duncan’s bag. And guess what? Lydia Ko herself suggested that Duncan take the guidance of her caddie. 

“Lydia mentioned that she might not be playing this week and that if I wanted to use Paul, I was like, ‘Absolutely, yes, that would be incredible,’” shared Duncan. 

Talking about Ko’s regular caddie, Paul Cormack, she added, “I love Paul. We’ve played a lot of practice rounds together. I know him really well, and working with him, he’s one of the best caddies I’ve ever worked with. He’s so focused. He really knows my game, even after just a couple of days. He just really can adapt. It’s been amazing.”

Duncan finished tied for the 7th position in the event and secured $57,923 out of the $2.3 million purse.