As if her major-championship performance at the AIG Women’s Open was not extraordinary enough, Sophia Popov also set a record at Royal Troon, jumping 280 spots in the Rolex Rankings from 304 to 24. It is the largest single-week jump for a player in history.
Popov was also the lowest-ranked player ever to win a major championship, and it wasn’t really close. Anna Nordqvist sat at No. 214 in the Rolex Rankings when she won the 2009 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and Hannah Green was ranked 114th when she won that same event in 2019.
The lowest-ranked player to win the AIG Women’s Open before Popov was Mo Martin, who was ranked 99th in the world when she won at Royal Birkdale in 2014.
Popov, who did not have status on the LPGA Tour prior to her victory, was 204 spots below the next non-member to win a major. That was Hinako Shibuno, who won the AIG Women’s Open in 2019 at Woburn in her first professional start outside her native Japan.
An historic feat, indeed.
Lowest-Ranked Player to Win an LPGA Tour Major Championship
Rolex Rankings Since 2006
| Player | Tournament | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Sophia Popov* | 2020 AIG Women's Open | 304 |
| Anna Nordqvist | 2009 KPMG Women's PGA Championship | 214 |
| Hannah Green | 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship | 114 |
| Se Ri Pak | 2006 KPMG Women's PGA Championship | 110 |
| Mo Martin | 2014 AIG Women's Open | 99 |
* As a non-member
Lowest-Ranked Non-Member to Win an LPGA Tour Major Championship
Rolex Rankings Since 2006
| Player | Tournament | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Sophia Popov | 2020 AIG Women's Open | 304 |
| Hinako Shibuno | 2019 AIG Women's Open | 46 |
| So Yeon Ryu | 2011 U.S. Women's Open | 40 |
| In Gee Chun | 2015 U.S. Women's Open | 20 |
| Hyo Joo Kim | 2014 The Evian Championship | 20 |
| Jiyai Shin | 2008 AIG Women's Open | 10 |
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