THE WOODLANDS, Texas — In all her years on the LPGA Tour, So Yeon Ryu never felt proud of herself.
Not after her six victories or her two major titles or becoming the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1. It has always been hard for her to enjoy those moments for what they were and revel in her success, something that she wishes she could’ve done more of throughout her career, one of few regrets she’ll openly admit she has about an otherwise solid tenure as a professional golfer.
But, when Ryu announced her retirement just a few weeks ago on Instagram, the outpouring of love and support she received from her friends and fellow players got her to finally realize just how much impact she’s had on the LPGA Tour and those that follow it, that no matter her score or final result, she made a difference in the lives of others, both on and off the golf course.
“I don’t think I can do or will do anything differently if I go back,” Ryu said. “But one thing is I want to live the moment, instead of thinking about how I’m going to be better, how I’m going to compete with the other players, how I’m going to be a better player all the time. I push myself instead of giving myself the compliment that you’ve done a really, really great job.”
“The first time ever genuinely I feel like I’m proud of myself was when people were saying so many great messages. That was very, very touching. A lot of my colleagues 100% understand why I made this decision. Most of my colleagues were happy for me, and then I was very happy that they consider me one of the consistent players and one of the players that feels happy on Tour because I wanted to be remembered that way.”
Cheers to a great career 🥂@AzaharaGOLF brought the goods for @1soyeonryu after the final round of her career pic.twitter.com/rl81uVFmuN
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 19, 2024
Ryu is a player who, despite not reaching every single goal she set for herself or winning every tournament she teed it up in, put a premium on her relationships during her time on the LPGA Tour. And never was that more evident than on the 18th green on Friday at The Chevron Championship.
A group of players, young and old, of all different backgrounds and walks of life, were there with open arms, ready to congratulate their friend on a fantastic career. But, maybe more importantly, they were there to thank her for being the role model she has been to so many over the years, to show her just how much they respect and appreciate her and what she’s done for women’s golf.
Lydia Ko, one of the greatest female golfers to compete over the last couple of decades on the LPGA Tour, couldn’t hold back the tears when she hugged Ryu after finishing her round just one group behind her. Ko didn’t mince words when saying what Ryu’s friendship has meant throughout her career on the LPGA Tour, expressing gratitude for getting to know So Yeon the person, not just So Yeon the golfer.
“I knew of her name even before I was a pro,” said Ko as her eyes continued to glisten. “To be able to have played a lot of rounds together and have dinner and talk about the stresses of golf or other things like that, it's been so much fun. I've been very fortunate to have people like So Yeon that have taken me under their wing.
“It's a very special moment, and it shows what kind of person she is and what kind of classy player she is by seeing all the players and people here waiting for her in this last moment. For me to be able to compete here in her last event and an event that means a lot to her is pretty awesome. It's bittersweet. I want to keep playing on Tour alongside her, but excited for her second chapter in life.”
It also spoke volumes that a large majority of those people on 18 were of Korean descent, as players like Narin An, Hye-Jin Choi, In Gee Chun, Jeongeun Lee6, Haeran Ryu and her groupmate Jin Young Ko were standing by, waiting for Ryu with flowers and a hug.
Se Ri Pak and Inbee Park are often credited with establishing and maintaining the tradition of Korean excellence that’s now a consistent presence on the LPGA Tour. But it’s players like So Yeon Ryu who have also carried that mantle forward, who have inspired the next generation of superstars, even if she won’t readily accept that compliment.
“I'm always ready to help them out if they ask me to help,” Ryu said. “For me, they're already such great players, I feel like they don't need my help. They were always so nice to tell me that I was the inspiration, so I just keep telling myself, you should be proud of yourself.”
And Ryu has every right to take pride in all that she has done on the LPGA Tour. Others would have given anything to win two majors and be considered the best player on the planet. Even though she had some heart-breaking near misses, there were more than enough triumphs to make up for them, enough happy memories to overpower the voices telling her she’d never stack up.
But Ryu has never measured her life in accomplishments, knowing that at the end of the day, the headlines and trophies and accolades will eventually fade away, lost in history books tucked away in far corners of long-forgotten shelves, and the only things that would remain are her integrity and character as a human being.
“When people ask me, ‘What’s your goal?’ I never really thought about becoming a Hall of Famer or becoming a world No. 1,” reflected Ryu. “I wanted to be a remarkable player as a person, that I did something to make women’s golf better and golf better. When I meet young kids on the course, and there’s one that says, ‘You inspired me’ or ‘You’re my role model,’ I feel as happy as when I won a major.”
Ahead of this week at The Chevron Championship, a retirement event that Ryu was never sure she wanted to have, she had the phrase “So Yeon’s Last Dance With Vokey” stamped on her wedges, something to commemorate her final event on the LPGA Tour and remind her to enjoy the moment as she made her way around The Club at Carlton Woods.
The musical metaphor is a fitting one for Ryu, who is well-known for her piano and violin talents off the golf course. And while she might’ve wanted her last dance to last just a little bit longer, Ryu sang a swansong expressing appreciation and humility as she bid farewell to her life on the LPGA Tour, sending a loving thank you to those who have supported her since she won that U.S. Women’s Open all those years ago.
“To my fellow players, I'm very thankful to have you guys as my colleagues,” said a choked-up Ryu in her last post-round press conference. “You guys were the reason why I wanted to be a better golfer all the time. And then to fans, no matter how I played, you guys were there always to support me, so I'm very, very thankful. I just want to send a lot of love.”
Who knows when it will finally set in, when it will hit Ryu that this part of her life story has officially reached its end. It was a fun ride, a spectacular dance, one that she can look back on fondly when she finally lets the emotion wash over her.
But for now, as the final notes of her swansong fade, a new melody has already begun to come within earshot, promising the 33-year-old exciting next adventure.
Enjoy this next song, So Yeon. Be proud of yourself. You’ve earned it.
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