Lydia Ko explains how getting a dog changed her perspective on golf

It’s been a banner year for Lydia Ko: She’s logged three wins, including a major, plus an Olympic gold medal and a berth in the LPGA Hall of Fame. It’s hard to believe that just one year ago, Ko was in the midst of a slump and finishing up a 2023 season that included only two top 10s — a year so out of character that she missed out on an opportunity to defend her 2022 title at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. Those struggles now seem like a distant memory. Ko was awarded the LPGA’s Heather Farr Perseverance Award this year, which is voted on by the LPGA membership and honors an LPGA Tour player who, “through her hard work, dedication and love of the game of golf, has demonstrated determination, perseverance and spirit in fulfilling her goals as a player.”

“We all go through a lot of things, whether it’s golf-related or things off the golf course,” Ko said in her pre-tournament press conference at Tiburon in Naples, Fla. “To be recognized for the journey that I’ve had, it’s a huge honor.”

Ko admitted that she has struggled with the mental side of the game at times.

“I started working with my current mental coach a few years ago, and she has been an unbelievable help,” she said. “Sometimes we talk about private things very unrelated to golf. As much as we try and differentiate golf and the things outside of the golf course, they all kind of blend together. We’re one human being with one brain. Everything kind of melds.

“Unfortunately how I perform on the golf course affects me off the course and vice versa,” Ko continued. “My mental coach, being able to have somebody I fully trust and I can talk to things about has been great. I think she cleared and helped me clear those demons I had in my head.”

Another grounding force in Ko’s life this year has been the addition of a furry new family member. Ko and her husband adopted Kai, a Shiba Inu puppy, in May. Ko described feeling extremely connected to him right away, and crying in the car after deciding not to adopt him that day. Kai joined the Ko household shortly after.

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“He’s been awesome,” Ko said. “You know, questionable at times. But this is the first time I’ve had like my own dog, and I have a lot of learning experiences through him, patience. And I was like, wow, if it’s this difficult with a dog I wonder what it would be like when you actually have a human baby. He’s just so much fun and he keeps us really active.

“I think more prompt with time, which is something I’m trying to get better at myself,” she continued. “It’s just been great to have another goofy ball of energy and sometimes I can’t keep up with his running pace as he runs away from me. It’s been a great step for us and I feel like our family just got bigger.”

Kai’s presence also helped Ko center herself after tournament rounds.

“I remember I came back to my host family’s house [at the Canadian Women’s Open] and he was there and he was like, oh, how was your day? My day was great. That kind of energy he had towards me, he was super loving and excited to see me. I don’t get that much excitement anymore from him when he sees me.

“But I saw him and I was like, you know what? There is so much more to life than what I just shot and there is always tomorrow. That week was the first time in a long time I traveled by myself, too, so it was great to have company.”

And just in case you were wondering whether Ko would choose to win another major if it meant never seeing Kai again, spoiler alert: she’s choosing the dog.

“My husband once asked me an ultimatum,” Ko said. “He said would you rather win one more major in the future and then not be able to see Kai or not know Kai, or would you just rather have Kai and know you’re never going to win a major anymore? You know what? I can still call myself a major champion. I would rather not win a major and have Kai in my life.

“At the Women’s Open I realized I have both, the best of both worlds. It’s been great. A new life in my life and so many other great things on the golf course. So it’s literally been a year of a fairytale. I’m just so grateful for this whole season.”