New Zealand professional golfer Lydia Ko has an opportunity to surpass Annika Sorenstam’s record as the top earner in women’s golf history during this week’s U.S. Women’s Open, but Ko questions whether such comparisons are appropriate.
“We’re playing in a very different generation right now,” the 29-year-old Ko stated to media members at Tuesday’s press conference held at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., where this year’s tournament kicks off Thursday.
“It’s cool to be, I guess, compared to that record and hopefully surpass it at some point,” Ko commented, “but it’s like very hard to kind of like compare it because we are playing for a lot more money than she did back in that day.”
Currently, Ko has accumulated $21.8 million in career earnings, trailing Sorenstam’s $22.5 million total. Ko has captured 23 LPGA Tour victories throughout her career, while the Swedish golfer Sorenstam claimed 72 victories between 1995 and 2008, ranking third in history behind Americans Kathy Whitworth (88 wins from 1962-85) and Mickey Wright (82 wins from 1956-73).
“For me, like the win count is probably a little bit more meaningful,” explained Ko, who holds three major championship titles. “Not that the money isn’t meaningful. Obviously, we’re very grateful that we get to play for a lot more money… I just feel like I’m like an ant and (Sorenstam) is — I don’t know what the biggest bug or living thing is, but she’s that.
“So, it’s kind of hard to compare that just because we’re playing for so much more now. Hopefully in years time, they play for so much more than what we do.”
The venue, Riviera Country Club, will serve as the location for both men’s and women’s golf events when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics. Ko has competed for New Zealand in three Olympic Games, earning gold in Paris 2024, silver in Rio 2016, and bronze in Tokyo 2021 (which was delayed from 2020).
However, she does not intend to participate in another Olympics.
“The only thing that I would be like very excited for is because they’re adding the mixed team component. I love team play,” Ko mentioned. “That will be the only thing that I’m very jealous that I’m not a part of. Who knows? I could be a part of it in a different place rather than just competing, and I do take pride in competing for New Zealand at the Olympics, and I really hope that I can be a part of it somehow in some shape or form. But, no. Three Olympics, and that stress was enough.”
