Connect with us

Tour News

Lydia Ko turns pro, granted LPGA membership

Published

on

[youtube id=”zeKlla_Tn5E” width=”620″ height=”360″]

Just five days after Lydia Ko announced decision to turn pro on YouTube (check out the video above), LPGA commissioner Michael Whan announced that the tour has granted the 16-year-old membership for its 2014 season.

“After reviewing Lydia Ko’s petition, I have granted her LPGA Tour membership beginning at the start of the 2014 season,” Whan said in a statement. “This decision ensures that Lydia can attend all of our LPGA rookie development sessions that take place in the early part of the year.”

Ko, already a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is currently the No. 5-ranked golfer in the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings. That makes her more than qualified to compete on the LPGA Tour, but like Lexi Thompson two years ago, Ko needed a special waiver to become an LPGA Tour member because of the tour’s 18-year-old age requirement for membership.

“I am very excited to become a member on the LPGA Tour,” Ko said. “It has always been my dream goal to play on the LPGA, and play against the world’s best players. I know that becoming a member is not only performing well, but to deal with responsibilities very well. Women’s golf is growing day by day and I would love to be able to inspire other girls to take up the game, and go for it. I believe this is only the start to my career and I have many new things to learn along the way. I am so grateful to get the opportunity to play with the players I look up to and respect. I can’t wait to start the season early next year.”

12 08 kol 150810445 620x349

Lydia Ko edged Inbee Park by three shots at the 2012 CN Women’s Canadian Open, and Karine Icher by five shots in 2013. 

Both Ko’s wins have come at the CN Canadian Women’s Open, where in 2012 she became the youngest player in history to win an LPGA Tour event at the age of 15 years, four months and two days.

Click here to see the clubs Ko used to win the 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open.

Ko also finished 2nd this year in the LPGA’s fifth major, the Evian Championship, marking her best finish in a major and the seventh-straight time the New Zealand golfer has made the cut in an LPGA major championship. Playing those events as an amateur, she forwent more than $1 million in earnings.

As Ko hinted in the video, she plans to make her professional debut at the LPGA Tour’s final event of 2013, the CME Group Titleholders in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 21-24. She will compete out of category 7 on the 2014 LPGA Priority List, which is reserved for players who have won an official LPGA event as a non-member in the previous calendar year.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Brian stamps

    Oct 29, 2013 at 1:22 pm

    She’s a very amazing golfer! A lot of hope for her that’s for certain..I’m a fan of her now!

  2. craig@tourimpactgolf.com

    Oct 29, 2013 at 8:34 am

    It’s a great story, best wishes

  3. Mike

    Oct 28, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    I hope she sticks to Srixon and I don’t see a Nike tick on her anytime soon.

  4. J

    Oct 28, 2013 at 11:43 am

    Just wondering what the rule is for then… If your not going to enforce it… Get rid of it.

    Not hatin on Ko… Great stick, she’ll do fine…

    • Sam

      Oct 28, 2013 at 1:01 pm

      I agree with you. I think she’s a great talent, but I thought her and her parents kept saying that she won’t turn pro for a while and that she would continue to just play golf as is. But I guess when you keep winning and playing well, the $$ talks and it changes your mind.

      As you mentioned, why have a rule that never seems to get enforced? If these young players simply petition to turn pro and it gets approved, then the rule is out of place.

      Aren’t these rules made so players don’t turn pro too early, don’t get burnt out and have a childhood?

  5. ams165

    Oct 28, 2013 at 10:52 am

    Amazing talent as a 16 year old.

    Hopefully her management team will guide her down the right road and not Michelle Wie avenue….

    • SN

      Oct 29, 2013 at 11:27 pm

      What’s wrong with Wie’s avenue?
      Maybe she’s the most paid LPGA member of all time…
      lol

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

Published

on

GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Continue Reading

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Truist Championship

Published

on

GolfWRX is on site this week for the Truist Championship from Quail Hollow Club.

While Titleist’s tour seeding of its new GTS300 mini driver has grabbed early headlines this week, there’s plenty more to see from North Carolina.

Check out links to all our photos below, and be sure to check back throughout this week as we add more.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

Continue Reading

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Cadillac Championship

Published

on

GolfWRX Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, is on site in Florida for the PGA Tour’s return to Doral at the 2026 Cadillac Championship.

While the star of the show is no doubt Justin Rose’s new McLaren irons, there’s plenty more to see from the Sunshine State.

Check out links to all our galleries from the Blue Monster below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

Continue Reading

Announcement

Our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use have been updated as of January 29th, 2026. Please review the updated policies here Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. By continuing to use our site after January 29th, 2026, you agree to the changes.

WITB

Facebook

Trending