Dame Lydia Ko’s quest to close out the LPGA grand slam begins this week as she seeks a fourth major title and her first at the US Open but the achievement appears to be a side quest compared to last year’s mounting pressure of reaching the hall of fame.
Ko needs a victory at either the women’s US Open or women’s PGA Championship to claim the career “grand slam”, a feat the PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy completed at the Masters last month.
McIlroy took nearly 11 years to win the Masters, the final leg needed to complete the men’s grand slam, and was constantly asked about it by the media every year he appeared at Augusta.
It was similar for Ko last year with ‘hall of fame’ often being a topic of discussion ahead of each tournament, but in her first press conference ahead of the US Open the question of a grand slam wasn’t asked until near the end of the 20 minute presser.
Ko will get two shots each year at the career slam, her first attempt will take place at Erin Hills starting Friday NZT. The LPGA included a fifth major in 2013 but retained the grand slam status if a player wins four of the five biggest tournaments over a career.
As for players who win all five, that’s dubbed a Super Career Grand Slam according to the LPGA. If Ko can achieve that, she would be the first player of the men’s or women’s game to win all the majors as well as Olympic gold, which secured a spot in the LPGA hall of fame.
In a haul that would rival Thanos, the 28-year-old already has the complete set of Olympic medals. Ko’s victory at the Women’s Open at St Andrews last August left her one major victory at either the US Open or the PGA Championship, which takes place next month at Fields Ranch East.
After admitting she “handcuffed” herself with pressure in reaching the hall of fame in 2024, Ko said she’s enjoyed playing with the freedom of having the pressure off her. It has also led to a more casual attitude about whether or not she’ll end her career with a US Open title - something she’s eyed since winning the US Amateur in 2012.
“I’m probably going to have less chances at playing these majors then how many I’ve played so far,” Ko said ahead of her 63rd major.
“As long as I’m playing, it’s always good to have a goal. So that when I’m working on things, I’m always going forward... it’s more to keep myself more motivated. Hopefully not, but even if I don’t win a US Open, I’m not going to wake up from my sleep and go ‘I never won!’.
“I’m obviously very proud of the things that have happened and I would be over the moon, especially this week, to come off with a trophy, but I don’t think that’s going to connect me more so to my identity than later on.”
She’s not the only player in the field who can pull off the grand slam achievement this week. Swede Anna Nordqvist also has won three legs after collecting victories at the Women’s PGA Championship, The Evian Championship and the Women’s Open. She lost in a playoff at the US Open in 2016.
Former world No 1 Yani Tseng could also do it, which would be the most remarkable story of the three. The 36-year-old and former teen sensation returns to the US Open for the first time in nine years. Ko played a practice round with the five-time major winner who last won an event 13 years ago and said she’s playing great.
Wisconsin’s Erin Hills hosts the Women’s US Open for the first time, having held the 2017 men’s US Open, won by Brooks Koepka.
Ko said she watched YouTubers Bryan Brothers play the course to get some insight, saying it’s changed since its last major eight years ago.
“The course is difficult. It’s fun. I think you need a lot of creativity as for any US women’s Open. The course tends to change in firmness and the green speed from Monday to Sunday. I’m excited to see how the course changes over the next couple of days,” she said.
Ko is one of the best on the tour at adapting to course changes and is making a habit of playing her best golf on the Friday of tournament play this year. Her round one average scoring is middle of the pack this year, ranked 64th at 71.33, but she’s fourth in the LPGA in round two scoring with an average score of 68.50.
Statistically, the US Open has been her worst-performing major. Ko’s best finish at the US Open was nine years ago at CordeValle Golf Club and it was the only major where she missed the cut last year.
Ko has only two top 10 finishes in 13 US Open events and it’s the only one of the five majors which she hasn’t cracked at least the top two - alone a staggering achievement.
It’s also a major world No 1 Nelly Korda has yet to claim, which would be a special win for the American who is also a gold medal winner.
Ko begins her tournament at 12.40am on Friday NZT, paired with defending champion Yuka Saso and 18-year-old amateur Rianne Malixi of the Philippines.