Lydia Ko has done exactly what every single person this year was wondering, she has officially brought a gold medal to the country of New Zealand. From fairway-to-fairway on this last round in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ko kept her composure hitting green time and time again on the Parisian course leaving the native Frenchwoman Boutier in her beautifully verdant dust. As she led with a tied #1 spot into the last round with Switzerland’s Metraux, Ko implemented her usual cool with calm precision and smart hits landing almost every hole where any would want to be.

With a final-round score of 71, Ko led the scoreboard ahead of Germany’s Heinselet and China’s Lin. Both the winners of bronze and silver with almost as impressive displays of talent today on the green. However, with her typical execution, which she is already so known for, Ko managed to create a solid flow from start-to-finish and managed to stay ahead on the tougher parts of this course.

A bogie to start the first hole made us a little nervous we can’t lie. But she quickly re-established her grade following the unfavorable score with birdies on holes 3 and 7. It was then that we knew Ko really meant business today with a 10 under par. It also helped in her favor that her once-competitor Metraux began the day on shaky ground on her first five holes of the day.

What a Day for Lydia Ko

Ko companied her 2 birdies with another on the 9th hole for the day which led her to the cruise she used simply execute on the last 9 following, though she had Germany’s Heinseleit on her heels all the while. Another shaky moment for the great competitor was when she found herself following a par on the 11th with a water ball approaching the 13th hole creating a double-bogey situation while she tried to maintain lead over Germany’s Heinselet.

Landing with her necessary regulation par on the final hole of the day, Ko hit perfectly to the middle of the fairway and sunk the birdie with ease to finish out the beautiful and life changing tournament. Ko brought the crowd to their feet putting Heinselet away by two shots and securing that shine of gold with the biggest smile on her face and a cheer heard round Paris.

The Youngest Ever

She is not only the first to win Gold for her country, she is also the first ever to win 3 medals in a row in the Olympic game history. Leaving 2016 Rio De Janiero with Silver, Tokyo with Bronze and now Paris with Gold, she is forever embedded into the history of this beautiful sport.  As if that is not exciting enough for the incredibly determined athlete, she is now the youngest player in the sport to be considered for the LPGA Hall of Fame at only 27 years old.

According to Golf.com, in order “to earn a spot in the LPGA Hall, players must accumulate at least 27 points. Under the current qualification format, one point is earned for each LPGA official tournament win, an Olympic medal (as of last year), a Vare Trophy win or a Player of the Year award, and a major is worth two points. A player must also win at least one Vare Trophy, Player of the Year or major championship.”

Due to her extensive resume that has built over the last decade and change, Ko was only needing just a single point to secure her spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame. Boy did she get that point today with gold as the 35th inductee into this elevated sport’s eternity.

Congratulations Lydia, no one deserves it more.