Lydia Ko entered the 2025 AIG Women’s Open as the defending champion but finished 36th after posting rounds of 73, 73, 70, and 75 at Royal Porthcawl. Her performance fell short of contention, marking a challenging defense in the tournament where she aimed to repeat her previous success.
Throughout the final round, Ko started with a difficult double bogey on the first hole but quickly rebounded with a birdie on the second. Her difficulties continued with bogeys on the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh holes, balanced by pars on several others. She ended the front nine with a 5-over 41.
On the back nine, Ko steadied her game with pars on the 10th and 11th holes before making birdies on the 12th and 13th. Though she incurred a bogey at the 17th, she closed with a birdie on the 18th hole. She posted a 2-under 34 on the back nine but finished the round with a 75 overall.
Summary of Lydia Ko’s 2025 Campaign
Ko’s 2025 season has seen a mix of promising moments and setbacks. She opened the year with a sixth-place finish at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, earning $84,205. Her highest point came at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, where she secured her only win of the year and took home $360,000.
She also recorded top finishes with a tie for sixth at the Ford Championship and an 11th place at the Mizuho Americas Open. In major tournaments, Ko’s strongest showing was at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship with a tie for 12th, earning $170,561. At the U.S. Women’s Open, she tied for 26th place.
However, her season included some missed cuts and lower placements. Ko missed the cut at the Dow Championship and struggled in events such as the Founders Cup, Chevron Championship, and T-Mobile Match Play, finishing outside the top 30 in these tournaments. She also missed the cut at the Amundi Evian Championship just before the last major of the season.
Detailed Results from Lydia Ko’s 2025 Season
• HSBC Women’s World Championship – 1st place, $360,000
• Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions – 6th place, $84,205
• Ford Championship – Tied 6th, $58,674
• Mizuho Americas Open – Tied 11th, $54,071
• KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – Tied 12th, $170,561
• U.S. Women’s Open – Tied 26th, $91,570
• T-Mobile Match Play – Tied 35th, $9,605
• Founders Cup – Tied 48th, $6,919
• Chevron Championship – Tied 52nd, $22,215
• Dow Championship – Missed cut, no earnings
Reflection and What Lies Ahead for Ko
Ko shared a series of images on Instagram along with a candid caption reflecting on her experience defending the AIG Women’s Open title, highlighting both the challenges and resilience involved. Despite the disappointment of not contending this time, her 2025 season remains noteworthy with impressive performances and a major win.
This season’s ups and downs provide valuable lessons for Ko as she prepares for upcoming tournaments. Her ability to bounce back during competitive rounds, seen in her back nine during the Open, suggests continued potential. Moving forward, fans and analysts will watch carefully to see how Ko builds on this year’s experiences in future events.