Lydia Ko captures AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews in epic fashion

Lydia Ko did it. She finally snapped the eight-year drought without a major title by winning the 2024 AIG Women’s Open. Ko, now a three-time major champion, fought off a loaded field to add another notch on her Hall of Fame resume. She sank a birdie putt on the 72nd hole at St. Andrews to enter the clubhouse at 7-under. From there, she was forced to wait. In a final round where four different women held the lead, Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and Jiyai Shin all struggled coming home, handing Ko the victory.

Interestingly, Ko’s recent success has come out of nowhere.
Just over a month ago, it appeared as though Ko’s season had fallen apart. She won the season-opener at the Tournament of Champions, finished second a week later at the LPGA Drive On Championship and logged a T4 at Blue Bay. But over the next couple of months, things got progressively worse. That is why Ko winning Olympic Gold at the Paris Games seemed to come out of nowhere. She was able to parlay that momentum at the Old Course at St. Andrews.

“It’s been a crazy past few weeks. You know, something that was too good to be true happened, and I honestly didn’t think it could be any better and here I am as the AIG Women’s Open Champion this week. Obviously that being here at the Old Course at St Andrews, it makes it so much more special,” Ko began her press conference after the win. “I just loved being out there this week and had a lot of family members here with me… I just got to realize what a historic and special place this golf course is, and it’s honestly been such a fairy tale.

“Yeah, I’m on Cloud Nine, really.”
The 27-year-old out of New Zealand began her career with a bang. At the ripe age of 15, she became the then youngest LPGA winner ever. Not long after, she won the 2015 Evian Championship for her first major title. But she didn’t slow down from there. Ko won the Chevron Championship to kick off major season in 2016. She also finished second at the Women’s PGA Championship and third at the U.S. Women’s Open that year.

Ko had been on the precipice of qualifying for the Hall of Fame for quite some time. She just needed one more victory, which she earned in dramatic fashion at the Olympics of all places. Now, the legendary golfer has capped on a roller coaster of a year with a win the famed St. Andrews.She was the LPGA Rookie of the Year in 2014, was the LPGA Player of the Year in 2015 and 2022, was the CME Globe Champion three times and has spent 125 weeks as the world’s top rated player, per NBC Sports. Now, Ko can add Open Champion to that amazing resume.