LPGA’s Lydia Ko to Lose No. 1 Ranking

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It’s official. For the first time in 84 weeks, when the Rolex Rankings come out on Monday, somebody other than 20-year-old Lydia Ko will be on top.

 
Ko is currently taking her third consecutive week off, which has allowed her to be caught by So Yeon Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn.

The rankings are based on two years of performance, and with the way the points system works, she is guaranteed to lose the No. 1 spot regardless of what happens in this week’s LPGA tournament, the ShopRite Classic.


Bullets

  • Ko has spent 103 weeks at #1 in the Rolex Rankings, including the past 84 weeks, but will lose that spot when the new rankings come out next week.
  • Ko has 14 career LPGA Tour victories, including two majors. She has finished in the top 3 of all five LPGA majors.
  • Ko has not won this season, but does have six top 10s in just nine starts. Her most recent win was at the Marathon Classic last July.
  • So Yeon Ryu, who won the ANA Inspiration (the first LPGA major of the year), will rise to No. 1 in the world if she finishes T3 or better at the Shoprite Classic. Ryu has finished outside the top 10 just once in nine events this season.
  • Ariya Jutanugarn, who is also taking the week off, will become No. 1 if Ryu, who is currently No. 3 in the Rolex Rankings, is finish T3 or better.
  • Ko’s 103 weeks in the top spot ranks third in the history of the LPGA, trailing only Loreno Ochoa (158 weeks) and Yani Tseng (109 weeks).

Quotable

“I haven’t been this close. I’m definitely close to No. 1, so that gave me an extra motivation to keep working hard. I believe the more important thing is enjoy this moment and enjoy playing golf. I believe that will get me to No. 1.”
So Yeon Ryu


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