Lydia Ko and Danielle Kang entered the 2025 Dow Championship with strong expectations but faced an early exit after missing the cut on Friday, June 27, at Midland Country Club. The duo finished the event at 1-under-par, tying for 49th place and falling three strokes short of the 4-under cut line, ending their weekend prematurely despite solid performances in the opening rounds.
Following their elimination from the tournament, Kang posted a touching photo on Instagram of herself embracing Ko while sharing a heartfelt message. Ko later shared this post and responded simply with, “Greatful for you.”
Longstanding Friendship and Partnership on the Course
Ko and Kang, often describing each other as sisters, have a long history of competing together and share a deep personal bond that enhances their partnership on the golf course. At the 2025 Dow Championship, they opened the competition with a 1-over-par 71 in Thursday’s foursomes format and improved to a 1-under-par 68 in Friday’s four-ball round. However, these rounds were not enough to advance to the weekend.
This marked their third time partnering at the Dow Championship. The previous year, they made the cut and finished tied for 27th place at 12-under-par. During the 2025 pre-tournament press conference, Ko reflected on the special connection they share:
“Last year it was obviously our second time playing, and I thought we just had a lot of fun, a lot of good laughs, and I don’t think we necessarily came into the week playing that solid golf, but it was a huge kind of like a reset for me… I’ve obviously known Dani for a really, really long time… there was no real other partner that I would have wanted to play with this week, and I think we had already decided to play this year together.” —Lydia Ko
Kang expressed a similar viewpoint focusing on how their partnership brings out her best:
“The best part of me comes out when I’m playing with her so I’m excited to play fun, happy golf.” —Danielle Kang
Season Performance Insights for Lydia Ko
Heading into the Dow Championship, Lydia Ko was ranked No. 3 in the Rolex Rankings and stood 15th in the CME Points standings. The missed cut marked her first of the 2025 LPGA season, following a string of strong performances in her initial nine starts. She secured three top-10 finishes, including a victory at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, highlighting her competitive form.
Below is a summary of Ko’s 2025 results leading up to and including the Dow Championship:
- Dow Championship: Missed Cut
- KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Tied 12th (+5)
- U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally: Tied 26th (+3)
- Mizuho Americas Open: Tied 11th (-8)
- The Chevron Championship: Tied 52nd (+5)
- T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards: Tied 35th (-38)
- Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass: Tied 6th (-18)
- HSBC Women’s World Championship: 1st (-13)
- Founders Cup presented by U.S. Virgin Islands: Tied 48th (-1)
- Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions: 6th (-13)
What Lies Ahead for the Ko and Kang Partnership
This early finish at the Dow Championship will likely serve as a moment of reflection for Ko and Kang as they continue their 2025 season. Both golfers remain key figures on the LPGA Tour, with Ko already securing one win this year while Kang is eager to capture her first victory. Their partnership exemplifies not only competitive synergy but a deep friendship that fuels their approach to the game. How they adjust and build upon this experience will be closely watched in upcoming events.