“Comeback player of the decade” – Fans react to Lydia Ko’s ‘clean sweep’ of titles at the LPGA championship 

It's Lydia Ko's world and everyone else is just living in it. The New Zealand golfer has clean-swept all the titles this season and dominated every field she has stepped into. This year, she was crowned the champion at the CME Group Tour Championship, bagged the Vare Trophy, and clinched the prestigious LPGA Player of the Year award.

By winning the CME Group Tour Championship, Lydia Ko received the biggest winner's cheque in the history of women's golf. The 19-time LPGA champion shot a 2-under 70 to finish at -17 overall to clinch a wire-to-wire victory. With the coveted win, Ko won a cash prize of a whopping $2 million.

After such a phenomenal 2022 season, Ko naturally topped the board to win the LPGA Player of the Year award. She also secured the Vare Trophy. Now, she is just two points short of earning the necessary 27 points to make it into the Hall of Fame.

In this season, she earned $4,364,403 to mark the second-highest season earnings of all time.

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"Great year. Congrats Lydia !!!" - Fans congratulate Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko at the CME Group Tour Championship - Final Round (Image via Getty Images)

Lydia Ko's brilliant show this season has drawn immense appreciation from fans all around the world. They flooded the comment section of LPGA's official account congratulating Ko on her achievements. They called her the comeback player of the decade.

One user noted how great a year it's been for her.

Another user talked about the amount of hard work it takes to reach that level.

"Aspiring lady golfers should know that these accolades represent a lot of hard work. The level of competition within the LPGA continues to improve making very exciting golf for viewers. Congratulations to Lydia Ko. Get some rest...the 2023 @LPGA season is right around the corner."

One fan appreciated how apart from being a phenomenal golfer, she is also a good human being.

"Very well deserved. Great champion. Even better human being. Congrats Lyds!"

Another wondered if Lydia Ko was the greatest of all time, signifying with a goat emoji.

One fan added how it's been a fantastic decade for Ko.

"Great year for Lydia. Ten years and still going strong and getting better."

Another user called her the most composed player in the league.

"Wow!! She is the most composed player in LPGA!"

One fan said that she was a star with multiple star emojis.

Sports is often very emotional for the fans as well, and one spoke about how Ko's victory made them feel.

"This made me cry along with her when she closed it out! I've been cheering in her corner from the beginning. @LPGA is arguably more entertaining than @PGATOUR. The @LPGA, the ladies, and volunteers are doing a great job! Keep it up!"

One fan added how much she deserved everything she has won.

"Excellent season for sure. All that hard work paid off and she deserves all that hardware."

Another spoke about how good it was to see her back on top.

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"It's a dream come true" - Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko at the CME Group Tour Championship - Final Round (Image via Getty Images)

Lydia Ko was naturally over the moon this season. With every title that was out for grabs in her kitty, it has been a dream come true for her.

According to LPGA.com, she spoke about it:

"To be the Player of the Year and to win the Vare Trophy again and to win the CME Group Tour Championship, it's a dream come true. To be able to do it in front of family and my team, you know, it's a very special one."

Apart from her on-course achievements, she has a lot to celebrate in her personal life as well. She looks forward to spending some time off from golf and getting married to her fiance, Chung Jun.

She said:

"As much as I'm excited that I have won, I'm also excited for some time off and get ready to become a bride soon."

Ko faced some cut-throat competition to win the CME Group Tour Championship. She talked about her nerves and excitement even when she was at the last hole and how much she tried to stay calm.

"I think internally I was excited, but I tried to stay calm. Even down to the last hole, I just wanted to play my golf and make sure that it gets handled in my hands and not, like, somebody else's."

Lydia Ko even took to social media to share her thoughts. She wrote:

"UNREAL. 9th year on the LPGA Tour is in the books! This year has been special in so many different ways for me both on and off the golf course, and this couldn’t be a sweeter ending. Thank you to my family, team, sponsors, and fans for believing in me, I couldn’t have done this without you… this one’s for you."

Certainly, Ko will now enjoy some well-deserved downtime after a grueling season.