How did Lydia Ko qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame? Eligibility criteria explored

Lydia Ko just won her third Olympic medal after taking gold at Paris 2024. With this victory, Ko also earned automatic induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame by meeting all the requirements.

The LPGA Hall of Fame has a set of requirements that players must meet to earn their induction. The requirements are so stringent that this institution is considered one of the toughest of its kind in all of sports.

These are the requirements for a player to be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame:

1. The player must have won/been awarded at least one of the following: An LPGA major championship, the Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honors; and
2. The player must have accumulated a total of 27 points, which are awarded as follows:

• One point for each LPGA official tournament win
• Two points for each LPGA major tournament win
• One point for each Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honor earned
• One point for an Olympic gold medal

Lydia Ko became only the 26th player to earn induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame (nine Honorary Members have also been inducted) this Saturday, August 10. Ko met all the requirements as follows:

Major championship titles (2)

• 2015 Evian Championship
• 2016 Chevron Championship
• POINTS EARNED: 4

Other LPGA Tour victories (18)

• 2012 CN Canadian Women's Open
• 2013 CN Canadian Women's Open
• 2014 Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic
• 2014 Marathon Classic
• 2014 CME Group Tour Championship
• 2015 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open
• 2015 Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic
• 2015 Canadian Pacific Women's Open
• 2015 Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship
• 2016 Kia Classic
• 2016 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
• 2016 Marathon Classic
• 2018 LPGA Mediheal Championship
• 2021 Lotte Championship
• 2022 Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio
• 2022 BMW Ladies Championship
• 2022 CME Group Tour Championship
• 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions
• POINTS EARNED: 18

Vare Trophy (2)

• 2021
• 2022
• POINTS EARNED: 2

LPGA Tour Player of the Year (2 points)

• 2015
• 2022
• POINTS EARNED: 2

Olympic golf gold medal (1)

• Paris 2024
• POINTS EARNED: 1

Total points: 27

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Lydia Ko officially inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame

With the echoes of her brilliant victory at Le Golf National still reverberating, Lydia Ko's induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame is now official. Her name has already been added to the list of members of the institution, available on the event's official website.

This is the current composition of the LPGA Hall of Fame with the addition of Lydia Ko:

1. Lydia Ko (2024)
2. Lorena Ochoa (2022)
3. Inbee Park (2016)
4. Se Ri Pak (2007)
5. Karrie Webb (2005)
6. Annika Sorenstam (2003)
7. Marlene Bauer Hagge (2002)
8. Donna Caponi (2001)
9. Judy Rankin (2000)
10. Juli Inkster (1999)
11. Beth Daniel (1999)
12. Amy Alcott (1999)
13. Betsy King (1995)
14. Patty Sheehan (1993)
15. Pat Bradley (1991)
16. Nancy Lopez (1987)
17. JoAnne Carner (1982)
18. Carol Mann (1977)
19. Sandra Haynie (1977)
20. Kathy Whitworth (1975)
21. Mickey Wright (1964)
22. Betsy Rawls (1960)
23. Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1951)
24. Louise Suggs (1951)
25. Betty Jameson (1951)
26. Patty Berg (1951)

Honorary members:

1. Alice Bauer (2022)
2. Bettye Danoff (2022)
3. Helen Dettweiler (2022)
4. Helen Hicks (2022)
5. Opal Hill (2022)
6. Sally Sessions (2022)
7. Marilynn Smith (2022)
8. Shirley Spork (2022)
9. Dinah Shore (1987)

Ko's inclusion on the list marks the official nature of her induction. However, the customary ceremony will be held at a later date to be set by the LPGA Tour.