‘Your Time Will Come’: Lydia Ko Sends Strong Message to Women Golfers As LPGA Celebrates Major Milestone.
Have you ever stopped to think about what it must have been like for those thirteen women in 1950 who decided to start something new with golf? I doubt they knew they were about to change the game forever when they launched the Ladies Professional Golf Association—the LPGA. Remarkably, it’s now the longest-running women’s pro sports organization out there. Women had been playing golf for ages—there was even a tournament recorded back in 1811 in Scotland—but it took the LPGA’s first event, the Tampa Open, to put women’s golf on the professional map. Polly Riley won that day, but honestly, all thirteen of those founders deserve credit for kicking off something so huge.
Now, 75 years later, it’s amazing to see how much the LPGA has grown—way beyond what they probably pictured. It started with just 15 tournaments and $40,250 in prize money, and here we are in 2025 with 32 events and a massive $131 million on the line. They’re competing in 12 countries and 14 states, with players coming from 33 different nations. It’s clear women’s golf isn’t just holding its own—it’s making waves worldwide.
Still, I can’t help but notice it doesn’t always get the recognition it should. The PGA Tour has this knack for turning players like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Jordan Spieth into big names everyone knows. You’ve got documentaries, insider videos, and all kinds of coverage keeping them in the conversation. The LPGA, though? It’s still working to catch up in that department. Things like the Drive On campaign are helping, but there’s more ground to cover to get its stars the same kind of spotlight.
I was listening to Lydia Ko recently—she’s got two majors and an Olympic gold medal—and she was talking about how special this 75th season feels. After her round at the Ford Championship, she said, “It’s amazing to be part of this. Those 13 founders made it possible for me to chase my dream, and for so many others too. Women’s sports, especially golf, are in such an exciting place right now.” It really hit me how much this moment ties back to those early days.
But here’s the twist: Ko’s already thinking about stepping away. Even with all her recent wins, she’s still planning to retire before she hits 30. Most athletes dodge that topic, but she’s totally open about wanting to explore other things down the line. So, will she be out there when the LPGA hits its 100th anniversary in 2050? She doesn’t think so. She laughed and said, “I won’t be playing then, but I’ll be watching and cheering.” I kind of admire how clear she is about it.
She had some thoughts for the younger players too. She went, “There are all these junior golfers here this week—just keep working at it and enjoy it. It’s not always going to be smooth, but if you love it, your chance will come. I’ll be rooting for you later on.” It’s cool to think that even if Ko’s not competing in 2050, she’ll still have left her mark. And if the LPGA keeps building like this, I bet those thirteen women from 1950 would be pretty thrilled to see where it’s all ended up. What do you reckon.