Charley Hull, Lydia Ko offers different views on retirement plans

Charley Hull was shocked by the issue ahead of the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore this week. Of course, the problem has nothing to do with her.

A few months ago, I read an article [contemplating] retire. What is that?

The 28-year-old Hull quickly ends any ideas she is considering following the LPGA’s staunch Lexi Thompson, Ally Ewing and Brittany Lincicome and hopes to hang her golf shoes.

“I certainly don’t think it’s about me,” Hull said. “Luchy is retired, but not me. It’s definitely not me. I’ll play golf until I’m in the dead bed.”

The next day, one of the biggest star in LPGA entered the media center and was asked about her long-term golf plan.

As expected, Lydia Ko’s answer was somewhat different.

She has long planned to retire before she was 30 years old. Despite the fact that the schedule has been less and less work in recent years, KO still sounds like someone with more professional golf behind her than the front.

“At thirty, there is still a long way to go,” Ko said. “I’m 27 now. I’m about to turn 28 soon. I just want to honestly take it away every day. My schedule has changed. I’ve gone from thinking about fifteen games this year to playing over 20 games now. [and thinking] Do I want to play more?

“I think it’s a very unfavorable issue, but 30 is a long way to go. It’s definitely not easy. In a sense, I came to golf courses like this and I know what to expect, and I’m not like a rookie used to these types of games and classes. But it all accumulates at the end of the day and I’m obviously very grateful for everything I’ve got through this sport and I want to play the best golf while I’m still playing, which is obviously my biggest goal right now.”

Ko continued his golf podcast last year and provided more insight into her retirement plan, acknowledging that she retired once she felt it was enough. That could be 30 or before. Or after.

“Honestly, no,” Ko told Colt Kmast and Drew Stoltz when asked if he would play for another 20 years. “I think when I was young, I said I wanted to retire at 30, and now I’m close to 30, and I think, four years are still a long time from now on. Honestly, I get it for a week during the day. When that happens, you’re almost in the middle of the year and then you’re done professionally and all that. So when I’m going to retire, I really don’t have a date.

“And I think for every player, I think until that moment comes, you really don’t know. Like, I could say 30, or 28, but who knows, I can play until 35. That’s the beauty of golf, and as long as we’re healthy and healthy, we can really do that for a long time, maybe not as sports as sports like swimming or other sports.”

Suitable, at the start of the week’s questions, which are questions about their long-term golf plan, both KO and Hull bring their best form to Singapore.

KO led after 10 shots below three, while Hull scored only one shot.

Retirement is for everyone. But for KO and Hull, elite golf will be their present and future until they decide not.