Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn seizes world No 1 spot

Posted by Admin 04 Jun 2017

Calgary, Alberta, CAN: Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn has seized the world No. 1 ranking from New Zealand's Lydia Ko with neither lifting a club in the LPGA ShopRite Classic - where Ryu So Yeon missed the cut on Saturday to cement the shift.

Ariya becomes World No.1 without lifting a club

Ryu, ranked third in the world, had a chance to leapfrog Ariya by finishing third or better in the tournament in Galloway, New Jersey.

But she fired back-to-back rounds of three-over 74 to miss the second-round cut in the 54-hole tournament, where South Korea's Kim In Kyung and American Paula Creamer shared the 36-hole lead after carding identical four-under 67s.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand held top spot for 84 weeks

Ko, who has held top spot for 84 weeks, is not playing in the event and was certain to relinquish her crown to either Ariya, another absentee in New Jersey, or Ryu, who had to finish at least third to displace the New Zealander.

However, the South Korean, who won her second LPGA major at the ANA Inspiration in April, bowed out early in New Jersey, thereby ensuring Ariya would become number one when the rankings are released on Sunday.

The 21-year-old from Bangkok will become the 10th player, and the first from Thailand, to hold top spot since the rankings were created in 2006.

Swede Annika Sorenstam was the first player to have the honour and was subsequently followed by Lorena Ochoa, Shin Ji-yai, Ai Miyazato, Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Stacy Lewis, Park In-bee and Ko.

Mexican Ochoa holds the record for the longest stint as world number one at 158 weeks.

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