South Korean sets record as number one golfer

Jin Young Ko
Photo: Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire

South Korean golfer Jin Young Ko is ranked number one in the world for a record-setting 159th week.

She remained atop the Women’s World Golf Rankings following a tie for 20th at last week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, surpassing the 158 weeks spent at number one by Lorena Ochoa of Mexico from 2007-10.

The 27-year-old Ko, a 15-time winner on the LPGA Tour, has held the number one spot five different times since April 2019. This is her sixth consecutive week.

“It’s an honor people saying with Lorena and me in the same sentence. It makes me happy, but also it makes me humble,” said Ko, a two-time LPGA Tour Player of the Year. “It’s great to honor, to stand with Lorena.”

Ko has won twice in 2023 at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and the Cognizant Founders Cup.

American Nelly Korda is number two with New Zealand’s Lydia Ko number three.

Lydia Ko was number one earlier this year.

Ruoning Yin, who claimed her first major championship on Monday, vaulted 20 spots to No. 5 in the rankings.

Rising star Rose Zhang is now in the top 50, climbing 19 spots to No. 45 in the rankings following her tie for 20th. The record-setting amateur now has a win and a top-10 in her first two starts as a professional.

Zhang is also now tied for 25th in the United States Solheim Cup team standings. Team captain Stacy Lewis said last week that the former Stanford star is on her “radar” for the team that will be finalized in August.

-Reuters