Lydia Ko dedicated her Olympic bronze medal to late grandma: I was 'playing for her'

After winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, Lydia Ko is now a two-time Olympic medalist. And the New Zealand golfer dedicated her newest medal to her late grandmother, who died during the Games, she said.

Ko — who also won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics — finished third in the competition after losing a playoff for silver to Japan’s Mone Inami, while Team USA’s Nelly Korda won gold. Ko shot 65 in the final round.

In an emotional interview afterward with the bronze around her neck, Ko said she was playing for her late grandmother all week — in addition to her family and country – and dedicated the medal to her.

“I just wanted to make my family really proud and my country proud. And to be able to win a medal for them, I think it means so much… This is for my grandma.”

An emotional Lydia Ko dedicates her bronze medal to her grandmother who passed away about a week ago. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/a3AFuoSx0I

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 7, 2021

The 24-year-old LPGA star and former world No. 1 pro told the Golf Channel:

“It’s really cool. When I was out there playing, I said all week I’m out there playing for my country, and it’s a huge privilege to be able to represent New Zealand and to be able to have brought two medals for New Zealand. I’m super honored.

“Actually in our private life, we lost our grandmother I guess within a week ago, and I was, I think, also playing for her as well. …

“I just wanted to make our family really proud and our country proud, and to be able to win a medal for them, I think it means so much not to me but to everyone that has been in this journey with me. So this is for my grandma.”

Ko finished the Olympic tournament with a 70-67-66-65 performance.