Lydia Ko of New Zealand poses with the trophy after winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Florida, 2024. Photo: AFP
Lydia Ko is back in the top ten of the women's world golf rankings.
Ko won the season opening LPGA tournament in Florida yesterday, her first victory on the tour in more than a year.
Ko the HGV Tournament of Champions by two shots.
That victory has resulted in her rising three spots to number nine.
This time last year Ko was number one, but she went through a difficult 2023 where she managed just two top ten finishes.
She has played 11 years on the LPGA Tour and has now won 20 titles and is just one win away from being eligible for the tour's Hall of Fame.
Throughout her career 26-year-old Ko has always remained positive.
"As much as the season was not the way that I would've wanted going into 2023, I felt like I still finished strong," Ko told LPGA.com.
"That gave me good momentum for this year. Just like how 2022 was an unbelievable year and 2023 was a huge question mark, like you can turn it around really quickly. I'm just going to keep working at it."
Ko is just the 29th player in LPGA history to earn 20 or more career wins and is the seventh woman to win 20 LPGA titles before turning 27.
She could earn her next win at this week's Drive On Championship, another event close to her home in Florida.
Ko has previously said she may consider retiring if she makes it into the Hall of Fame.
Lilia Vu of the United States remains world number one.
