LPGA To Have A New No. 1 By Weekend’s End

By the end of the weekend, and the completion of the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey, there will be a new number one woman golfer.

The current number one, Lydia Ko, will lose her spot at the top on Sunday, ending her 84-week reign, according to the LPGA. Ko is not participating in this weekend’s tournament.

Only one of the two contenders to take the number one spot is playing at the tournament. Ryu So-yeon, who currently ranks third, is competing in New Jersey, while Ariya Jutanugarn, who currently ranks second, is not.

Nonetheless, because of her number two ranking, Jutanugarn is the favorite to become to new top dog.

The only way So-yeon jumps from three to one is if she finishes first, second, ties for second with up to three others, or comes in outright third. Otherwise, Jutanugarn moves to first.

Regardless of who takes the spot, the golfer will become only the tenth person to hold the number one spot since the rankings began in 2006. Past leaders include Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, Shin Ji-yai, Ai Miyazato, Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Stacy Lewis, Park In-bee, and Ko.

Ko currently has the third most weeks at number one in the history of the rankings at 103. Ochoa hold the all-time record at 158 total weeks.