Lydia Ko
Young New Zealander of the Year
2016
University of Canterbury
Young New Zealander of the Year
Te Mātātahi o te Tau
Lydia Ko
From making the cut in her first professional event at age 12, Lydia Ko has rewritten golfing history becoming the No. 1 ranked woman professional golfer at 17 years 9 months 8 days of age, making her the youngest player of either sex to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf.
In September 2015, she became the youngest woman, to win a major championship winning the Evian Championship. Her closing round of 63 was a record lowest final round in the history of women′s golf majors.
Ko′s exceptional combination of physical and mental ability has had international golfing greats shaking their heads in disbelief, not only with her astonishing skill and ability but also her mature attitude and composure both on and off the course.
In April 2014, Ko was named as one of Time magazine′s 100 most influential people and in November 2015, Ko won the LPGA Rolex Player of the Year Award making her the youngest winner in the 49 years of the award. In both 2014 and 2015, Ko has been named in the EspnW Impact25 list of twenty-five athletes and influencers who have made the greatest impact for women in sports.
Website: http://www.lydiako.co.nz/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LydiaKo
The leaders of tomorrow, brimming with the potential to build a bright future for Aotearoa. These people strive to improve themselves, their communities, and their nation.
Nominees of this Award must:
- Be aged between 15-30 years, at the open of nominations on 24 July 2024.
- Have had significant positive impact over the past 12 months.
- Be a role model for young New Zealanders and highlight that change is possible at any age.
- Meet the Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as 2025 University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year Te Mātātahi o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from this person’s work, contribution, or influence – and how? - 10 points: LEADERSHIP:
How does this person set a positive example for other young people and showing them the potential for change. - 10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, create change, and give back? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their area of influence? How has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT:
If known, how does the nominee plan to grow and/or adapt their work, contribution, or influence in the future? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
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