“It’s okay to not be okay” - Lydia Ko opens up about overcoming emotional adversity in the recent episode of 'Spill the Tee' podcast

Lydia Ko recently opened up about overcoming the low moments of her career, stating that it was okay to not always feel fine.

Ko started her career with a bang and experienced a lot of success in the early stages of her professional career. In 2012, she broke the then-record for being the youngest winner at a professional tour event. She won the 2015 Evian Championship, became No. 1 in the rankings, and by 2018, she had already won 15 LPGA Tour titles.

However, from then until last year, she could only add one more title to her tally. It took her more than five years to regain the top ranking.

Speaking on the Golf Channel's 'Spill the Tee' podcast, the Kiwi star shed some light on her state of mind during her low phases. She said:

"Even though we're not celebrities, We are in the public eye, especially when we're at a tournament. With social media and everything like that, and I think sometimes, like when I realize that, 'Oh, I'm pretending to smile,' or 'I'm pretending to be something that I'm not,' I think it's like I get those kind of self-awareness wakeup calls.

"And I think that makes me almost take a step back and be like, 'Hey, you know what? It's okay to not be okay.' And I think it's okay to be honest about your emotions."

The 26-year-old golfer had a fantastic previous season, winning three titles to finish the year as No. 1. This year, however, didn't go as per her expectations, as she hasn't managed to make it into the top 10 since her joint sixth-place finish at the Honda LPGA Thailand.

Although Ko has struggled with her form this year, one can always expect a golfer of her caliber to make a strong comeback.

---

How many professional titles has Lydia Ko won?

Lydia Ko has won 26 professional titles in her career, including 19 on the LPGA Tour. She has also won two major championship titles so far. Besides, she is also a two-time Olympic medalist.

Here are all the professional wins of Lydia Ko:

LPGA Tour

• 2012: CN Canadian Women’s Open
• 2013: CN Canadian Women’s Open
• 2014: Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic
• 2014: Marathon Classic and O-I
• 2014: CME Group Tour Championship
• 2015: ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open
• 2015: Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic
• 2015: Canadian Pacific Women's Open
• 2015: The Evian Championship
• 2015: Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship
• 2016: Kia Classic
• 2016: ANA Inspiration
• 2016: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
• 2016: Marathon Classic presented
• 2018: LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship
• 2021: Lotte Championship
• 2022: Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio
• 2022: BMW Ladies Championship
• 2022: CME Group Tour Championship

Ladies European Tour

• 2013: ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open
• 2015: ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open
• 2016: ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open
• 2021: Aramco Saudi Ladies International
• 2023: Aramco Saudi Ladies International

ALPG Tour

• 2012: Bing Lee Samsung Women's NSW Open

KLPG Tour

• 2013: Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters

Olympics

• 2016 Rio Olympics: Silver Medalist
• 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Bronze Medalist