Home > Sports > Golf

'Let’s push harder': Korea's Ko sisters reflect on hard work behind KLPGA title haul

Published: 04 Sep. 2025, 11:27 Updated: 04 Sep. 2025, 16:31

Ko Ji-u, left, and Ko Ji-won pose during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Sunning point Country Club in Yongin, Gyeonggi on Aug. 28. [KIM KYOUNG-ROK]

YONGIN, Gyeonggi — From sprinting for rural buses in Jeju to training under endless Australian sunsets, sisters Ko Ji‑u and Ko Ji‑won have spent over a decade grinding side by side. Now, they’re both KLPGA champions — and contenders for a major title.

The Ko sisters became the second sibling duo in KLPGA Tour history to each win a title in the same season, joining Park Hee‑young and Park Ju‑young.

Ko Ji-u, the older sister, 23, earned her third career victory at the McCol-Mona Yongpyong Open in June. Ko Ji‑won, 21, achieved her first win at the Jeju Samdasoo Masters in August, lifting the trophy in her hometown in Jeju.

In a joint interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at a golf course in Yongin, Gyeonggi, the sisters reflected on their journey — from early childhood in Jeju to professional golf’s upper ranks.

“Our family couldn’t be together most of the time,” the elder Ko said.

Their father, a hapkido instructor, moved to Wando in South Jeolla to run a fish farm, while their mother worked full-time as a middle and high school teacher.

Even without parents nearby to shuttle them around, the sisters trained relentlessly.

“After school in Seogwipo [Jeju], we had to get to the practice range by bus,” the elder Ko said. “The interval was an hour, and we sometimes had to transfer twice. I would sprint to the stop after class — just making it was a workout.”

The younger Ko also talked about that time in their lives.

Ko Ji-u, left, and Ko Ji-won pose during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Sunning point Country Club in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 28. [KIM KYOUNG-ROK]

“I used to beg my sister to wait for the next one, but Ji‑u would drag me on board. In winter training in Australia, when we were too tired to move after 36 holes, she’d say, ‘This isn’t the time to rest. Think of mom and dad. Let’s push harder.’”

Their work paid off. After moving to Gyeonggi to turn pro, the elder Ko quickly gained a reputation as an aggressive scorer and earned the nickname “Birdie Bomber.”

The younger Ko, whose strength lies in iron play, proved equally capable, having secured one win and one runner-up finish in the ongoing 2025 season.

“My sister hits further than people expect, and her shot-making is incredible,” the younger Ko said.

The elder Ko returned the compliment: “Ji-won never gets discouraged. I really admire that.”

Still, the exchange included a few sisterly jabs.

“I think Ji-won could show a little more fire out there,” the elder Ko said.

The younger Ko grinned and replied, “Ji-u used to have trouble hiding her frustration. Watching her made me promise myself I’d learn to keep a poker face.”

The sisters are back in action at the KB Star Championship, which teed off on Thursday.

When asked what might happen if they found themselves in the final pairing, tied going into the last hole, the younger Ko answered without hesitation.

“If we’re both on the 18th green with the final putt,” she said, “I’m sinking mine. I can’t just let my sister with three wins walk away with another one.”

The elder Ko, sitting next to her, smiled and said nothing.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]