Rolex Women's World Rankings starts to see some action

With both the LPGA and KLPGA tours now back in action, the Rolex Women’s World Rankings is starting to see some movement.

The ranking, which has laid dormant for months as very little golf being played means very few ranking points scored, is finally starting to wake up. There isn't much change at the top, however, with Ko Jin-young still at No. 1 followed by Danielle Kang of the United States and Park Sung-hyun.

With Park Min-ji’s latest victory at the Dayouwinia MBN Ladies Open on the KLPGA Tour on Sunday, she successfully defended her title and continued her streak of picking up one win every season for a fourth consecutive year. Over the weekend, Park shot a three-round total of 13 under par, at 203 at Montvert Country Club in Pocheon, Gyeonggi.

In terms of the world ranking, she moved up 11 spots, now ranking 31st, a career high.

Along with Park, Kim Hyo-joo, who finished third at the tournament, also moved up a spot in the world ranking to ninth. Kim switched spots with Lexi Thompson of the United States, the only change in the top 10.

Among the full-time KLPGA Tour players, Lim Hee-jeong is the highest ranked, at 21st.

Looking at the LPGA Tour, Stacy Lewis, who picked up a dramatic victory at the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, also made a huge jump in the world ranking. By winning the tournament in a four-way sudden death playoff, Lewis’ moved up 53 spots and is now ranked 43rd.

Chun In-gee, who finished tied for seventh at the Scottish Open, didn’t see much change in her ranking spot as she climbed from 62nd to 61st.

While the KLPGA Tour will take a break this weekend, the LPGA Tour will continue its season with a major tournament, the AIG Women’s Open. Former world No. 1 Park In-bee will also be competing at this tournament, also known as the Women’s British Open. World No. 6 Kim Sei-young, who was reported to have returned to the United States on Aug. 11 to join the LPGA Tour, will be skipping this tournament and will make her return at the following event.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this will be the first major tournament of the LPGA Tour this season.

BY KANG YOO-RIM [kang.yoorim@joongang.co.kr]