S. Korean LPGA rookie sensation becomes new world No. 1

SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean LPGA rookie sensation Park Sung-hyun climbed to No. 1 in the world rankings on Monday.

The 24-year-old dethroned fellow South Korean Ryu So-yeon at the top of the latest rankings. She is the first LPGA rookie to reach No. 1.

Park also becomes the fourth South Korean to become world No. 1, after Shin Ji-yai, Park In-bee and Ryu.

Ryu had been sitting at the top since Jun 26, after winning the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. Park was No. 8 at the time.

Since then, Park has picked up two wins, including her first major title at the U.S. Women's Open, and recorded five top-10 finishes in nine starts.

Ryu has gone winless in the same span, with three top-10s in 11 tournaments. She finished tied for 33rd in her most recent event, the Toto Japan Classic last weekend.

Park has long clinched the Rookie of the Year points race. She's also the leading money winner so far with a little over US$2.1 million, about $200,000 ahead of Ryu. Park is currently in second place in scoring average with 69.169 strokes per round, with Lexi Thompson in the lead at 69.147 strokes per round. The leading scorer will be awarded the Vare Trophy.

In the Player of the Year points race, Park is trailing Ryu by 162 to 148 with two tournaments left. Players earn 30 points for each victory, 12 points for finishing second and nine points for coming in third, and so forth. But the points are doubled at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship later this month.

Nancy Lopez from her historic 1978 season remains the only rookie to have swept up the Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Vare Trophy and money titles in the same season.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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