Lydia Ko reveals the most special moment of her historic 2024 season: "No other situation can really replicate that"

Lydia Ko is at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club to defend her Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions title. The Kiwi comes on the heels of a historic season that included winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris.

For Ko, this was the most important moment of the season. During a press conference at the tournament venue, the three-time major champion said that standing on the podium and hearing the national anthem is something that no other situation can replicate.

This is what Ko had to say (via LPGA YouTube channel) [4:23 and onwards]:

"Probably just winning the gold and standing on the podium listening to your national anthem. I've been on the podium before and it was it's heartwarming just even hearing other people's national anthem and knowing what we all went through to just qualify, to represent our countries and then, you know, be one of the three medalists."

She added:

"I wasn't sure if I was ever going to experience where I was going to hit listen to my national anthem and to hear that it's pretty special, it's, I think, it's a feeling that you can't really... no other situation can really replicate that. So that was probably one of the most special memories that I'm going to take on, not only as a golfer, but as a you know human being."

Winning the Olympic gold medal had another special meaning for Ko. Her victory at Le Golf National gave her the final point needed to be inducted into the super-exclusive LPGA Hall of Fame.

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Lydia Ko's 2024 season in review

Lydia Ko, 2024 AIG Women's Open (Image via Getty).

Winning in Paris was one of the highlights of Lydia Ko's 2024 season, but it wasn't the only one. The Kiwi claimed three other victories on the LPGA Tour, including the third major championship of her career.

This is a round-up of Lydia Ko's season on the LPGA Tour:

• Grant Thornton Invitational (Unofficial): 6
• CME Group Tour Championship: 3
• The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican:T14
• BMW Ladies Championship: T12
• Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G: 1
• AIG Women's Open 1
• ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open: 9
• CPKC Women's Open: T8
• The Amundi Evian Championship: T39
• Dow Championship: T27
• KPMG Women's PGA Championship: T46
• U.S. Women's Open presented by Ally: CUT
• Mizuho Americas Open: CUT
• Cognizant Founders Cup: T35
• The Chevron Championship: T17
• T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards: T18
• Ford Championship presented by KCC: T13
• Blue Bay LPGA: T4
• HSBC Women's World Championship: T34
• LPGA Drive On Championship: 2
• Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions: 1

The season's successes earned her numerous accolades around the world, including being named a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, one of her country's highest civilian honors.