K-Golf Eyes World No. 1 Again as Young Stars Rise

The women's golf world ranking system turns 20 this month, having been introduced on February 21, 2006.

From Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, the first world No. 1, to current leader Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, 18 players from nine countries have claimed the throne. The 20-year history of world rankings has paralleled South Korea's dominance in women's golf, with the nation compiling records no other country can match.

South Korea has produced the most world No. 1 players with five: Shin Ji-ae, Park In-bee, Ryu So-yeon, Park Sung-hyun, and Ko Jin-young. The United States follows with four—Cristie Kerr, Lydia Ko (as a U.S.-based player), Stacy Lewis, and Nelly Korda. China produced Feng Shanshan and Yin Ruoning, while Thailand has Ariya Jutanugarn and Thitikul. Sweden's Sorenstam, Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, New Zealand's Lydia Ko, Taiwan's Tseng Ya-ni, and Japan's Ai Miyazato also reached the top spot.

Ko Jin-young holds the record for longest reign at world No. 1 with 163 cumulative weeks. Ochoa follows with 158 weeks, Lydia Ko with 125, Tseng with 109, Korda with 108, and Park In-bee with 106. Sorenstam held the position for 60 weeks, while current No. 1 Thitikul has maintained her ranking for 31 weeks.

By nation, South Korea leads with 333 combined weeks at No. 1. The United States ranks second with 166 weeks, followed by Mexico with 158 weeks from Ochoa alone.

Korea's most unassailable record is its dominance in the top 100. At the end of 2006, Korea led with 26 players, followed by Japan with 24 and the United States with 23. Korea has never relinquished that lead, peaking at 41 players in both 2013 and 2017. The maximum for both Japan and the United States remains 24.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea's top-100 count has declined slightly—from 35 in 2020 to 30 in 2021, 31 in 2022, 32 in 2023, 30 in 2024, and 32 in 2025—but the nation still leads all countries.

In the inaugural 2006 ranking, only two Korean players ranked in the top 10: Jang Jeong at eighth and Han Hee-won at ninth, with none in the top five.

Today, Korea again has just two players in the top 10—Kim Hyo-joo at ninth and Kim Se-young at tenth—with none in the top five. Korea's dominance has clearly weakened. The last Korean world No. 1 was Ko Jin-young, who held the position until July 30, 2023—two years and seven months ago.

The decline stems partly from young Korean players avoiding LPGA Tour challenges after the pandemic.

Last year, Yoon Yi-na was Korea's only LPGA rookie. This year, Hwang Yu-min and Lee Dong-eun joined the tour. Bang Shin-sil plans to try again after failing to qualify. KLPGA Tour players Yoo Hyun-jo and Kim Min-sol have also expressed intentions to compete on the LPGA Tour.

Choi Hye-jin reached a career-high 15th in this week's rankings. Ryu Hae-ran, currently 12th, is targeting a return to the top 10. All are candidates to become Korea's sixth world No. 1, following Ko Jin-young's legacy.