Lydia Ko deleted her Instagram account this week. That’s how much this event means to the two-time Olympic medalist. She doesn’t want any unnecessary distractions as she competes in what could be her last Olympics, trying to complete her medal set with gold in Paris and epically play her way into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
But what to do with the spare time?
The 27-year-old former prodigy downloaded the Simone Biles documentary and started taking notes. Literally writing inspirational quotes down in her yardage book, such as “I get to write my own ending.”
“I think as an outsider, we never know, like, what the person is going through,” said Ko of Biles, who has 30 Olympic medals. “I think for her to have been so vulnerable, I think it inspires a lot of people and it inspired me.”
For Ko, it’s always been important that she’s the one who determines her fate. That she decides how her round ends, her season, her career.
Simone Biles of the United States competes on the floor exercise on day three of the gymnastics event finals during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports
Before she even started playing full time on the LPGA, Ko said she wouldn’t compete past the age of 30. Should the 27-year-old win gold tomorrow and qualify for the Hall of Fame, this might be her final season on the LPGA. She enters Saturday’s final round in a share of the lead with little-known Morgane Metraux, who is ranked well outside the top 100 and has never won on the LPGA.
Whatever the case, what comes next will be Ko’s decision, should she find herself with that long-awaited gold at Le Golf National. It’s worth noting that she watched Mardy Fish’s Netflix documentary earlier this year when she won the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
“I’m excited to embrace all of this,” she said of what could be an historic and inspirational Saturday.
She can get back to scrolling Instagram next week.