Paris Olympics gold medalist Lydia Ko receives New Zealand Olympic Committee's top honor

New Zealand golfing great Lydia Ko won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics in August. With the win, the 27-year-old completed her Olympic medal collection and entered the LPGA Hall of Fame. Three months after this, the New Zealand Olympic Committee has honored Ko with the Lonsdale Cup.

The LPGA icon has added her country’s top sports honor, the Lonsdale Cup, to her list of achievements in 2024. This is the second time Ko has won the title, awarded annually to the athlete or team that has made the most outstanding contribution to an Olympic or Commonwealth Sport. The Kiwi golfer was presented the Lonsdale Cup by NZOC Board Member Glen Sowry on Wednesday (December 25) in Queenstown.

The ace golfer recalled her clinical performance at Le Golf National in Paris while receiving the award and dubbed it ‘one of the most honorable moments’ of her career.

Lydia Ko said, as quoted by New Zealand’s RNZ Sport:

“Competing in the Olympic Games has been one of the biggest joys and one of the most honorable moments of my career, and my life.”

For the unversed, Lydia Ko won the silver medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 on her competition debut. She followed it up with the bronze in Tokyo four years later. In 2024, she finished the medal trio by winning the gold in Paris.

Ko was an outright favorite at the Paris Olympics. The LPGA star built a five-shot lead on the back nine at Le Golf National as her competition collapsed on the final day. She made a memorable 7-foot birdie putt for a 1-under 71 to record a two-shot victory over Germany’s Esther Henseleit, who won silver. The win pushed her career total to 27 points for the LPGA Hall of Fame.

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Lydia Ko’s 2024 LPGA results

Lydia Ko had an eventful 2024 season with four victories, including the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old bagged wins in at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January, AIG Women’s Open in August, and the Kroger Queen City Championship in September on the LPGA Tour. She also managed a runner-up finish at the LPGA Drive On Championship.

Ko’s season wasn’t all smooth sailings as she failed to finish three events, including missing the cuts at the Mizuho Americas Open and US Women’s Open.

Listed below is the complete breakdown of Lyida Ko’s 2024 LPGA season:

• 18/1 - Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions - 1st (-14)
• 25/1 - LPGA Drive On Championship - 2nd (-11)
• 29/2 - HSBC Women's World Championship - T34 (+1)
• 7/3 - Blue Bay LPGA - T4 (-13)
• 28/3 - Ford Championship pres. by KCC - T13 (-15)
• 3/4 - T-Mobile Match Play pres. by MGM Rewards - T18 (+5)
• 18/4 - The Chevron Championship - T17 (-2)
• 9/5 - Cognizant Founders Cup - T35 (-2)
• 16/5 - Mizuho Americas Open - Missed Cut
• 30/5 - US Women's Open pres. by Ally - Missed Cut
• 20/6 - KPMG Women's PGA Championship - T46 (+9)
• 11/7 - The Amundi Evian Championship - T39 (-3)
• 25/7 - CPKC Women's Open - T8 (-6)
• 15/8 - ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open - 9th (-5)
• 22/8 - AIG Women's Open - 1st (-7)
• 19/9 - Kroger Queen City Championship pres. by P&G - 1st (-23)
• 17/10 - BMW Ladies Championship - T12 (-13)
• 14/11 - The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican - T14 (-6)
• 21/11 - CME Group Tour Championship - 3rd (-17)

Lydia Ko will be back next season as an LPGA Hall of Famer.