Olympic champion Lydia Ko to compete at HSBC Women’s World Championship in S’pore

In a 2024 sporting season that delivered thrills and triumphs, Lydia Ko deservedly earned her crown as the queen of comebacks.

When the year began, the New Zealand golfer was coming off a low after a winless campaign in 2023, when she suffered an inexplicable slump in form.

But a year that seemed destined for disappointment turned extraordinary, as she won three titles on the LPGA Tour – including the Women’s British Open – and an Olympic gold medal.

To cap off a phenomenal season, she received a damehood for her services to golf on Dec 31.

And Ko is not done yet.

The three-time Major winner, who has 22 wins on the tour, is gunning for her first victory in Singapore when she competes at the HSBC Women’s World Championship from Feb 27 to March 2 at the Sentosa Golf Club.

On Jan 3, Ko was among the star-studded field announced by organisers for the US$2.4 million (S$3.3 million) tournament.

The 27-year-old said: “We all love visiting Singapore as it’s an amazing city, but we especially love the way HSBC and the tournament organisers set everything up to make the tournament feel so major.

“From the minute you arrive at the airport, we see promotions for the tournament all around, and it makes us feel so celebrated and welcomed.

“I am delighted to be part of this beautiful creative (event) celebrating another amazing line-up of women at the 2025 HSBC Women’s World Championship.”

Ko, a former child prodigy who also became the youngest inductee to the LPGA Hall of Fame in 2024, may boast a glittering resume, but she has also endured some tough spells.

But after claiming gold at the Paris Olympics and ending an eight-year wait for her third Major with her Women’s Open win.

The world No. 3 has not ruled out a hunt for a career Grand Slam.

That could mean a delay in her initial plan to retire at 30, and last August, Reuters reported Ko saying: “That is probably maybe like my new goal just because I always want to be able to work towards something.

“And who knows, I’ve said I would love to win another Major before I retire and that happened at the British, so never say never.”

Also joining Ko on the Sentosa Golf Club greens are South Korea’s world No. 11 Ko Jin-young, a two-time HSBC champion and two-time Major winner; Yin Ruoning, China’s world No. 2 and 2023 Women’s PGA Championship winner; as well as American Lilia Vu (No. 5), who clinched the Chevron Championship and Women’s British Open in 2023.

While it was a winless season for Jin-young in 2024 – a first since she joined the LPGA in 2018 – the 29-year-old was glad for an injury-free year after dealing with knee and wrist issues in recent years.

At the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in November 2024, the former world No. 1 said: “I had so much pain last year (2023) from my knees and wrist, but I don’t have any injury for this year.