Whisper it but Lydia Ko’s major drought is almost as long as Rory’s. And yes, she knows.
It’s just over two weeks since Rory McIlroy’s major drought extended into a new decade. Much, of course, has been written about the Irishman’s struggles to add to his haul of four wins in the game’s marquee events. Much less has been documented about the similar toils and travails of Lydia Ko.
The Kiwi, who completed the Olympic medal slam with her golden performance in Paris earlier this month, is without a victory in the events that matter most in eight-and-a-half years. Ever since she won the Chevron Championship – then the ANA Inspiration – in 2016, the 27-year-old has been stuck on two major titles.
Like McIlroy, there have been plenty of close calls in the intervening years. Runner-up finishes in the 2016 Women’s PGA and the 2021 Chevron are the standouts from 11 top-10s. But for all she has enjoyed success on the LPGA and, notably, the Olympics, Ko has failed to varnish her remarkable CV with a third, fourth or fifth major.
Her final opportunity to prevent that barren run from extending to nine years comes courtesy of this week’s AIG Women’s Open – the final major of the year. “All of us tour players, our goal is to try and peak at the majors but it’s easier said than done,” she said. “You could do everything correct, and it just could be that time of the month or you could just be tired or get the wrong side of the draw.
“There’s just so many variables that you can’t control. So, I think it’s a lot harder and I know that every time Rory tees it up – like, obviously he played amazing at the US Open but people just talk about his finish. I mean, the guy played awesome, you know?
“I think sometimes we get carried away about who won, like how many years it’s been. It’s a drought, this, that. But it’s difficult. We’re all working to be at the highest level at that time but sometimes it just doesn’t go that way.
“But no matter what, I’m so proud to be a major champion. I know that not all golfers have the opportunity to say that. Whilst I am playing, I want to keep putting myself in contention, and I think if you do that, I’m going to become more comfortable being in that kind of position.”
Ko used the example of Annika Sorenstam to illustrate her point on ‘enough’ never really being enough. “We’re all greedy in the sense that Annika has won 70-something times and she may feel like, oh, she could have won 80 times I’m like, wow, she’s one of the greatest of all time.
“But I think while you’re still doing this, you still feel like you can get better. It doesn’t matter if you’re the No.1 player in the world like Nelly, or the last player in the field this week. We are all continuously working to become a better, more consistent player. You have your little ups-and-downs, little rollercoaster rides, but you’re trying to minimise those discrepancies.
“We want to do better no matter like how much or how little you’ve achieved.”
Competing is only part of the equation, of course. Having fun is another significant and often-overlooked aspect of preparation. That’s why Ko is determined to make the most of her latest visit to the home of golf this week.
“I have family with me this week, so we have been checking off all the restaurants with the high reviews around here,” she said. “Got to have fish and chips here, so I’ve had that, as well.
“A lot of things off the golf course revolve around food for me, which is one of the things that gets me most excited. I’m excited when we have good food in player dining or there’s like a lot of good options, and there’s quite a few around here.
“So yeah, I’m enjoying the little perks. I don’t know when St Andrews is hosting the Women’s Open again but this could potentially be the last time I’m in this town, so I want to enjoy the little things.”
