Lydia Ko gets honest about moving past her mental battle: "Proud of overcoming my doubts"

Lydia Ko, one of the most successful golfers in the world, has long struggled with different mental health battles. She has time and again won those battles and returned to the peak of golf's highest mountains, most notably doing so in 2024 at the Paris Olympics.

In a recent interview with Golf.com, the New Zealander said one thing that helped was to refocus her mind. There is always outside noise and chatter, usually negative, around a pro golfer. For Ko, it was about ignoring it as best she could.

Ko recalls saying:

"'I am really proud of overcoming my doubts.' Now, it doesn’t matter what you write about me or what my next-door neighbor says about me. If I don’t think it, it’s irrelevant. But what goes on between the two ears — that can get scary."

What others say about her doesn't matter. What Ko says about herself, which can sometimes be detrimental to her mental health, is the only thing she takes stock in. That's how she was able to drown it out and win the Olympics in what will likely be her final time in the competition.

The ensuing celebration was key in helping her grow, too. Ko admitted to being homesick, but celebrating with other New Zealand athletes after her victory was special:

“It took me back to my roots. When I left home [for the U.S.] in 2013, I think I missed it. But I got so used to living in a great place like [the U.S.] and you don’t really miss it as much — I just miss the people. But then you go back — I was there over Christmas — moments like the New Zealand house, you’re like aww. It’s a very complex relationship.”

Ko's Olympic gold medal stands as one of her most treasured victories to date. The LPGA Tour star also has won three of the five women's Majors.

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Lydia Ko explains how her dog has helped her feel happier

Lydia Ko's happiness comes from a lot of different places, and she's been able to get better mentally through a lot of different methods, including shutting out outside noise. Her dog, Kai, has helped a lot, too, though.

Lydia Ko got a dog (Image via Imagn)

Via Golf.com, she said of her dog:

"He’s given me a lot of happiness... After a while I realized there was more to life than just golf. That’s what Kai proved to me. That’s what my husband [Chung Jun] has proven to me.”

The LPGA Tour star's coach, Sean Foley, had tried to get her to be more involved in her personal life off the course. He said:

“I was pushing her toward him. That’s taken up like half our range session. Talking about Jun, trying to get them to go on vacation. Like, ‘Yo, there is way more to life than this.’”

Lydia Ko added that her husband has helped her see an identity outside of golf for herself.