Lydia Ko's future career plan 'changes day by day' | Golf Central | Golf Channel

>>> LYDIA KO ENTERED 2024 TWO POINTS SHY IN THE SEASON AND THE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS FOR HER 20th CAREER WIN ON THE LPGA TOUR AND 27 POINTS ARE NEEDED TO ENTER THE LPGA HALL OF FAME. ONE POINT FOR EVERY WIN AND IT'S AN ADDITIONAL POINT IF THEY WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND PLAYERS WIN THE POINT IF THEY WIN THE ROLEX PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND A POINT FOR EACH OLYMPIC MEDAL. SO KO WITH TWO CAREERS AND 2015 EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE 2016 CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP AND THAT IS HERE AT THE KPMG WOMEN'S PGA AND THE 2016 EVENT AND THE PLAYOFF WITH BROOKE HENDERSON IN 2014. WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME LYDIA KO AT THE "GOLF CENTRAL" SET. WE GOT TO SEE YOU GET YOUR PREPARATIONS UNDER WAY AND WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE BACK AT THE KPMG WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP. >> ONE, I FEEL OLD THAT I'M RETURNING TO THE GOLF COURSES I'VE PLAYED BEFORE, AND I'M GLAD TO COME BACK TO A COURSE THAT I PLAYED WELL AT. WE HAD BEAUTIFUL WEATHER TODAY. IT'S NICE TO TAKE THE WHOLE GOLF COURSE IN. I DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THE HOLES, TO BE HONEST. I REMEMBER A FEW HERE AND THERE. IN A WAY IT'S GOOD TO SOMETIMES NOT REMEMBER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO BE MORE FOCUSED ON HOW YOU NEED TO PLAY THE HOLE RIGHT NOW. I FEEL LIKE MY GAME HAS CHANGED. I'M HITTING A LITTLE LONGER THAN I DID IN 2016, SO MY LINES ARE ALSO A BIT DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE IN SEATTLE AT SAHALEE. >> LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE YOU WERE A TEENAGER AND NOW YOU'RE AN OLD MARRIED WOMAN. HOW HAVE YOU REALLY SEEN YOUR GAME GROW AND DEVELOP SINCE YOU WERE HERE IN 2016? >> I FEEL LIKE SOME THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN BETTER WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. I DO FEEL THE EXPERIENCE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS -- NOBODY CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU. YOU CAN BE BETTER AND KEEP IMPROVING AND YOU BEING IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS IT COMES ONCE AND THAT'S IN YOUR MEMORY BANK AND SOMETIMES MY BODY FEELS WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING CONSECUTIVE ROUNDS AND I'M NOT AN 18-YEAR-OLD OUT ON TOUR ANYMORE, BUT IN PART I FEEL LIKE I'M STILL 18 AND AS MUCH AS THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND GENERATIONS HAVE CHANGED THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE QUITE SIMILAR FROM THEN, AS WELL. >> AND YOU'VE HAD A LITTLE TIME OFF, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON TO GET READY FOR THIS WEEK? >> AS MUCH AS I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE PLAYED, THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS I CAN TAKE AWAY FROM THAT AND A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS THAT I REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT WILL KIND OF CREATE THE TYPE OF SHOT SHAPE THAT I WANT, AND IT'S JUST GREAT THAT MY COACHES AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEREAS IN THE PAST I'M MAKING CUTS AND IT'S GOOD AND NOT REALLY SURE EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON TO BE BETTER, BUT I HAD A LOT OF CLARITY AFTER THAT WEEK AND WORKED ON THAT FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND ENJOYED SOME TIME OFF AND NORMALLY FROM THE MIDDLE OF JUNE TO THE MIDDLE OF LATE AUGUST IS OUR KIND OF BIG STRETCH OF EVENTS ESPECIALLY WITH THE OLYMPICS THIS YEAR. AND YOU KNOW, KEEP PROGRESSING, AND I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A BETTER POSITION NOW THAN THE U.S. OPEN WHICH IS DEFINITELY A GOOD MINDSET AND PLACE TO BE HEADING INTO THIS WEEK. >> YOU MENTIONED THE MEMORY BANK, AND TAKE US BACK TO 2016 WITH BROOKE HENDERSON, THINK, NOT THE ULTIMATE RESULT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE REACHED FOR. DESCRIBE WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE. >> YEAH. I HADN'T REALLY BEEN IN CONTENTION AT MAJORS THAT OFTEN. I LOST THE LAST TWO MAJORS THAT I PLAYED COMING INTO THE WEEK, BUT IT WASN'T, LIKE, OH, I KNOW WHAT THIS FEELING IS LIKE, AND I MISSED THE 71st HOLE FOR BIRDIE AND ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, MAKING ME GO INTO A PLAYOFF, BUT I THINK AT THAT TIME I WAS UPSET. IF I SAID I WASN'T UPSET I WOULD BE LYING AND IT FELT LIKE A THREE-FOOTER SHOULD BE EASY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS ON THE LINE AND WHEN I LOOK AT BROOKE'S HIGHLIGHTS IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE GOLF SHE PLAYED AND WE ALL HAD BOGEY-FREE ROUNDS ON THAT DAY. GOING INTO THAT DAY, IF SOMEONE SAID HEY, YOU'LL SHOOT THIS NUMBER AND MAKE NO BOGEYS I WOULD HAVE SAID COUNT ME IN NO MATTER WHAT POSITION I WOULD HAVE FINISHED IN. I THINK, AT THE TIME IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO TAKE THAT SITUATION AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO FACE WITH, BUT LOOKING BACK AT IT NOW THAT WAS ONE OF MY BEST FINISHES NOW AT THIS EVENT AND IT'S GOOD TO COME BACK HERE AND HOPEFULLY, I CAN REVENGE ON SOME OF THOSE FEELINGS AND LIKE THE FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE WAS IMPRESSIVE AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU PLAYED ON TURF FOR 20 YEARS OR ONE YEAR. BEING IN THAT KIND OF POSITION AND HER HAVING THAT IT JUST SHOWS WHAT A DESERVING WINNER SHE WAS. >> IN YOUR CAREER YOU'VE HAD SUCH AN AMAZING COMEBACK AND YOU STARTED OFF AS A TEENAGER WINNING EVERYTHING AND IT TAKES A LULL AND THEN YOU COME BACK AND YOU'RE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND A MULTIPLE-TIME WINNER AND IN 2023, YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE SEASON YOU REALLY WANTED. HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT? HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO COME BACK WITH SUCH A GREAT ATTITUDE AND COME BACK AND WIN AND BE A WORLD NUMBER ONE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AGAIN. HON OF THELY, IF I -- I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MY SISTER WHERE I WAS REALLY STRUGGLING AND I MISSED ANOTHER CUT IN PORTLAND, AND I AM REALLY UNSURE IF I'M EVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO WIN AGAIN. I'M SURE THAT WAS THE FEELING I GOT WHEN I WON IN HAWAII FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS, BUT GOLF IS A CRAZY GAME. YOU KNOW, YOU SHOOT 65 AND THE NEXT DAY YOU SHOOT 75 AND NOT MUCH WAS DIFFERENT WITH THE TWO ROUNDS AND NOT KNOWING IF YOU'LL EVER COMPETE AT A HIGH LEVEL AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SURROUND MYSELF WITH SUCH A SUPPORTIVE TEAM AND A FAMILY THAT'S HELPED ME THROUGHOUT THE JOURNEY AND WE HAVE ALL GROWN SO MUCH DURING THIS TIME OR AS MAYBE IT MAY HAVE FEALTIESY AND LOOKED EASY EVEN THOUGH IT NEVER WAS EASY. I THINK HAVING THOSE UPS AND DOWNS AND IT'S NEVER BEEN EASY. SOMETIMES WE TAKE THESE MOMENTS FOR GRANTED AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR '22 WHICH SET UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BEING IN THE HALL OF FAME. I DIDN'T THINK I WAS HALL OF FAME WORTHY AND NOW I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND TOGETHER WITH MY HOME CLUB TO START THE YEAR, I THINK BEING ONE POINT AWAY IS A LOT EASIER THAN BEING TWO POINTS AND ACTUALLY, AMY, SHE CALLED ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND SO SHE WAS IN THAT POSITION OF BEING IN THE HALL OF FAME AND AT THAT TIME THE REQUIREMENTS, SHE -- BUT THEY CHANGE THE RULES AND NOW SHE UNDERSTANDS THE FEELING OF BEING CLOSE, AND IT'S JUST GREAT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY LIKE HER WITH MEGAN WHO HAVE COME AND GIVEN ME SO MUCH SUPPORT. I'M HONESTLY ENJOYING THIS JOURNEY, AND I WANT TO PLAY WHILE I AM PLAYING. IF IT'S MEANT TO HAPPEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT TO ME, MY GOAL IS TO NOT JUST BE IN THE HALL OF FAME, BUT TO BE ABLE TO WIN AS MANY TIMES AS I CAN WHILE I AM STILL PLAYING. >> AND YET YOU DID MAKE IT LOOK EASY FOR A LONG TIME AND THOSE TWO MAJORS CAME REALLY EARLY IN YOUR CAREER. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO WIN A THIRD AT THIS STAGE? >> IT WOULD BE PRETTY UNREAL. I KIND OF FORGET THAT I AM A MAJOR CHAMPION BECAUSE I WON THAT IN MY TEENS, BUT I'M IN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY LIFE, YOU KNOW, LIKE AN OLDER MARRIED WOMAN, NOW DOG MOM WHICH ARE THINGS THAT I DIDN'T IMAGINE SAYING AT 27, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST GREAT BECAUSE AS YOU GET OLDER YOU REALIZE WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY MEAN A LOT TO YOU AND WHO REALLY CARE SO THAT THEIR GOAL, UNFORTUNATELY IS A LOT SMALLER, BUT THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING TO BE MORE MEANINGFUL AND I'M TRYING TO AS A TEAM INVEST IN WHETHER IT'S MY TIME OR MAKE EVERY MINUTE WORTH IT AND KIND OF MORE AUTHORITY IN MY DECISIONS AND WHAT I WANT TO DO GOING FORWARD WHETHER IT'S SCHEDULE OR PRACTICE. I THINK IT WOULD MEAN A LOT, NOT BECAUSE I'M A MAJOR CHAMPION AGAIN, BUT ALL OF THE SACRIFICES AND TIME AND NOT ONLY MYSELF, WITH YOU WHAT THE FAMILY PUT IN. IPO IS SO GRATEFUL BECAUSE I HAVE THE TEAM THAT WANTS IT AS MUCH AS ME AND IT'S NOT FOR THE MONEY AND IT'S HONESTLY BECAUSE THEY WANT ME TO JUST KEEP EXCELLING, AND I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE AROUND ME BECAUSE THAT, TOO, IT'S NOT LIKE WITH EVERY PERSON YOU HAVE. >> SPEAKING OF THE HALL OF FAME. THE ONE WAY TO GET THAT POINT IS A MEDAL AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES. YOU WON A BRONZE AND SILVER. THIS YEAR YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND REPRESENT YOUR HOME COUNTRY OF NEW ZEALAND. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GETTING TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT THIS EDITION IN PARIS? >> IF I WIN GOLD AT THIS PARIS OLYMPICS SOMEONE GET ME A GLASS SLIPPER. WHEN I WAS PLAYING IN RIO FOR THE FIRST TIME I WAS NUMBER ONE AT THE TIME, AND I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PLAYERS AND YOU'RE THE HIGHEST RANKED PLAYER AND EVERYBODY LOOKING IN IS, LIKE, YOUR ODDS ARE SO HIGH IN MEDALING AND HAVING WON SILVER, IT KIND OF GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS AND LISTENING TO THE SOCCER INITIAL ANTHEM WHEN INBEE WAS GETTING HER GOLD I WAS, LIKE, WOW. I FELT GOOSEBUMPS WITH THE KOREAN NATIONAL ANTHEM AND IMAGINE HEARING THE NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ANTHEM. TOKYO, THE WORLD WAS IN A DIFFERENT PLACE AND TIME, AND I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE ENJOYED THE GAMES AS MUCH AS MAYBE RIO, BUT TO BE IN THAT POSITION AND MEDAL AGAIN I WAS, LIKE, WOW. HOW CAN I BE TWO FOR TWO? AT LEAST UNTIL PARIS IS OVER I CAN SAY I HAVE THE MOST MEDALS IN GOLF BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN SO THAT'S SOMETHING I TAKE PRIDE IN, BUT I FEEL PROUD TO REPRESENT NEW ZEALAND ON A DAILY BASIS AND HAVING THE FLAG NEXT TO MY NAME AND TO GO TO THE OLYMPICS AND STAND ON THE PODIUM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER FEELING THAT MATCHES THAT ON, AND I LOVE THAT THE O LIMP IGS CELEBRATE EACH AND EVERY ONE THAT'S THERE AND THAT YOU'RE BEHIND INBEE PARK AND YOU'RE A SILVER MEDALIST AND A BRONZE MEDALIST IF YOU'VE AN OLYMPIAN. THAT JUST SUMMARIZES THE WUTYst GAME AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE INTO SPORTS AND PROBABLY MY FAVORITE THING. THE GAME AND IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE MY HAFT OLYMPICS AND THAT WOULD BE THE LAST HOORAH. >> YOU'VE SAID IN THE PAST THAT YOU WOULD POTENTIALLY WANT TO RETIRE AT 30. IS THAT STILL THE PLAN FOR YOU OR IS IT STILL A WAIT AND SEE AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES US? >> I TAKE IT DAY BY DAY. SOMETIMES I'M, LIKE, OKAY. I'M OUT OF HERE. I DEFINITELY THINK, YOU KNOW, MY IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT AS CLOSE AS LEXI WHICH I AM ALSO SUPER HAPPY FOR HER AND HER DECISION, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN EXACT DATE OR WHAT AGE TO STOP PLAYING, BUT LORENA OCHOA HAS BEEN A BIG ROLE MODEL OF MINE AND SHE'S PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL AND SHE STILL LOVES THE GAME AND WHAT SHE'S DOING TO GIVE BACK TO GOLF IN MEXICO IS JUST -- IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IN MY FUTURE. GOLF HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH, AS MUCH AS I'VE HAD MY SHARE OF TEARS AND FRUSTRATION THROUGH GOLF IT'S GIVEN ME SO MUCH LOVE AND JOY AND SOME OF THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT I'VE MADE ON TOUR. SO I WANT TO LEAVE GOLF WHILE I STILL LOVE IT AND ENJOY IT, AND I WOULD RATHER LEAVE WITH THE THOUGHT OF OH, IF I HAD PLAYED MORE MAYBE RATHER THAN THE FEELING OF, YOU KNOW WHAT? I SHOULD HAVE LEFT THEN. IT'S GIVEN ME SO MUCH TO THINK THAT I WOULD HATE TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE I HATE THE GAME AND I DON'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT IT ANYMORE. WHO KNOWS? I CAN DO AN ANNIKA AND COME BACK AND DOMINATE LIKE SHE DID AGAIN, BUT YEAH, I KNOW THAT I'M PAST HALF WAY, AND I'M EXCITED FOR WHAT'S AHEAD, WHETHER IT'S GOLF OR NOT AFTER THAT, AND MY TEAM HAS BEEN SUPER SUPPORTIVE AND GUIDING ME IN THE DIRECTION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GO IN. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED. FOR NOW, HAVE TO CALL CHRIS OR HOLLEY. YES, YOU DO. >> WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE INCREDIBLE MOMENTS AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN GREAT FANS OF YOURS AND BEST OF LUCK AS YOU TRY TO CONQUER THESE HALLWAYS. >> THE HALLWAY. [ LAUGHTER ] THE HALLWAY, OKAY. IF YOU WANT TO WATCH LYDIA KO TAKE ON THE HALLWAY, SHE'S GOING TO BE TEEING OFF AT 4:39 P.M. EASTERN TIME TOMORROW ALONGSIDE BROOKE