Lydia Ko Does Not Hesitate to Confess Her ‘Weird’ Day-Off Desire Amid Demanding LPGA Schedule

Lydia Ko’s partnership with ECCO Golf has been a long and winding road. Back in 2017, the young golf sensation paired up with the brand, rocking their shoes and sporting the ECCO logo, all while launching her own fashion line with McKayson. A quadrennial renewal followed, and now Ko spilled the beans on her “unrealistic” dreams in an ad campaign with the brand.

ECCO’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection has just been unveiled, and Lydia Ko is the star of the show. Building on her ambassador role, Ko stars in the brand’s latest campaign, where she reveals her NYC style, saying “Hi, I’m Lydia Ko, and I’m in New York with ECCO” and confessing her love for all things versatile.

But perhaps not as much as the versatile dream she has. “It’s kind of weird,” Ko begins, “my dream day off is very unrealistic, but I wish I were my dog. But from a person’s standpoint, just having good food and being surrounded by good people.” But then again, is this confession really surprising? Ko has often been open about her love for her pet dog, a Shiba Inu named Kai.

Lydia Ko’s furry sidekick was once known as George, the adorable pup she met in New York before the Mizuho Americas Open. Although Ko and her husband fell head over heels, they bided their time before making the Shiba a part of their family. But the time came quick.

Soon Ko’s canine companion was by her side at the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada. Her love for Kai hasn’t waned, however. This February, she celebrated the pup’s birthday and updated the same on her Instagram.

Nonetheless, this is a pretty fun take from Lydia Ko, who is dealing with an up-and-down finish this season. In her 13 LPGA starts, she’s had four top-10s, including a win at the 2025 HSBC Women’s World Championship, but also two missed cuts and four times she’s finished way outside the top 30. Regardless of such stats, however, Lydia Ko is gearing up for the next stage amid praise.

Lydia Ko, the next big thing, and her interesting quality that makes her unique at the LPGA

Dr. Julie Amato, the LPGA Tour’s go-to sports psychologist, recently spilled the beans on what makes elite athletes tick. On The Mixed Bag podcast, she shared that while top players know all the tricks – like setting goals and breathing exercises – true mental toughness comes from digging deeper. Lydia Ko is a prime example, owning up to feeling nervous but not letting it get the best of her.

“You know, if you watch even interviews with like Lydia Ko after the British Open, like, it’s not like she’s saying she’s not nervous. She is nervous. She’s just learned how to kind of notice that feeling and not panic. And I think that’s like the main thing,” Amato stated in the podcast interview. And there’s plenty to prove Amato right.

After a rough 2023 season, for instance, Ko faced doubts and uncertainty. But instead of letting it get her down, Ko worked to silence those doubts internally. And admitted that much in an exclusive interview this season, saying, “When things don’t go your way, you start wondering about what the future is going to look like. But to be able to overcome those doubts internally was probably one of my proudest moments.” 

And boy, did it pay off! In 2024, Ko snagged three titles, including the AIG Women’s Open, and took home Olympic gold. According to Amato, the world’s best athletes take the time to understand themselves and their strengths. This self-awareness is key to Ko’s success. And we hope that works in Ko’s favor next week, when she gears up for her title defense at the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship. It will be a challenge, however, with 144 of the elite pros present at the scene.