For the first time in nearly two decades, South Korea does not have a player inside the top 10 in the women's world golf rankings.
Ryu Hae-ran slipped three spots from No. 9 to No. 12 in the latest rankings released Tuesday, while Ko Jin-young rose two places to No. 11 as the top-ranked South Korean player at the moment.
The women's rankings were first released in February 2006. The last time South Korea, a women's golf powerhouse for many years, did not have a top-10 player was the second week of June 2006.
Historically, South Korea has produced the most No. 1 players with five, most recently Ko between 2019 and 2023. Ko holds the record for most weeks spent at No. 1 with 163.
In the current rankings, South Korea has the most players in the top 100 with 28.
South Korean players have not been as dominant on the LPGA Tour as in years past.
In 2021, South Korean players were shut out at LPGA major tournaments for the first time since 2010, and came up empty-handed again in 2023.
In 2024, Ryu was one of only three South Korean winners on the tour, alongside Amy Yang and Kim A-lim.
For this year, Kim won the season opener in February, the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, and Kim Hyo-joo earned her seventh career title in March at the Ford Championship. (Yonhap)
