Today, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced the recipients of the 2024 Heather Farr Perseverance Award and the 2024 Founders Award, Lydia Ko (Heather Farr) and Ally Ewing (Founders).
Both players, who were chosen and voted on by LPGA Membership, will accept their respective awards at the LPGA Tour’s season finale, the CME Group Tour Championship, during the 2024 Rolex LPGA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
LPGA Hall of Fame member Lydia Ko will receive the 2024 Heather Farr Perseverance Award, which honors an LPGA Tour player who, through her hard work, dedication and love of the game of golf, has demonstrated determination, perseverance and spirit in fulfilling her goals as a player.
A Tour veteran, Ko began her journey on the LPGA Tour in 2012, winning the CPKC Women’s Open as both an amateur and sponsor exemption.
She successfully defended her title in 2013 and was granted Membership for the following season. Since then, she has won an additional 21 times, including three major championship titles, and represented New Zealand in the Olympic women’s golf competition three times, earning a medal in each appearance.
2016 Rio (Silver), 2020 Tokyo (Bronze) and 2024 Paris (Gold).
Entering her 2024 season, Ko needed two points to meet the minimum point threshold of 27 points to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. Following her win at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and her first-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she reached the threshold and became the youngest player to be inducted under its current criteria.
She followed up her gold medal with an additional two wins this season including the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G and a major championship victory at the AIG Women’s Open.
Ko has earned numerous Rolex LPGA Awards including Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors (2014), Rolex Player of the Year (2015, 2022), the Founders Award (2021), Vare Trophy, (2021, 2022), and now.
The 2024 Heather Farr Perseverance Award.
She is the fifth player to receive both the Founders and Heather Farr Perseverance Awards, following Heather Farr, Shelley Hamlin, Lorie Kane and Lorena Ochoa.
Established in 1994, the Heather Farr Perseverance Award honors LPGA Tour player Heather Farr, who died on Nov. 20, 1993, following a four-and-a-half-year battle with breast cancer.
Previous winners of this award include Farr, Lorie Kane, Nancy Scranton, Brandi Burton, Kris Tschetter, Kim Williams, Beth Daniel, Se Ri Pak, Leta Lindley, Sophie Gustafson, Lisa Ferrero, Stephanie Meadow, Ariya Jutanugarn, Tiffany Joh, Jessica Korda, Suzann Pettersen, Madelene Sagstrom, Elizabeth Nagel and Jane Park.
“Words cannot describe how immensely grateful I am to receive this award from my peers,” said Ko. “There have been countless hours of time and hard work to get to where I am in my career now, but I would be nowhere without the many people that supported, encouraged and believed in me at every stage.
This year has been incredible in so many ways and it is a time that I will always cherish, so to receive an award of this significance at the end of my 2024 season is truly special.”
“Both Lydia and Ally have demonstrated not only a love for the game of golf, but also a spirit of gratitude in all that they do,” said Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, LPGA Player President.
“They have served as role models for their peers, both on and off the golf course, and gained the respect of so many through their actions. Their impact on the LPGA and golf community is unmatched and we are excited to celebrate their tremendous careers.
