Allisen Corpuz has found her form in her sophomore season on the LPGA Tour. When Corpuz started the 2022 season, she was ranked No. 725 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. The American steadily moved up in the rankings during her rookie campaign, recording three top-10 finishes, including a runner-up result at the ISPS Handa World Invitational and making 17 cuts in her 24 total starts. With her mother as her travel companion this season, the 25-year-old has climbed from No. 48 to No. 6 in the rankings. She made her latest leap following her major victory at the U.S. Women’s Open, which elevated her 23 spots to No. 6 in the world, the highest she’s ever ranked in her two-year career. The Rolex First-Time Winner is not only climbing the Rolex Rankings but is making moves in the season-long Race to the CME Globe as well. With the win, Corpuz is now in the hunt for the year’s biggest awards, currently sitting at No. 1 on the Official Money List, No. 1 in the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, No. 3 in the Rolex Player of the Year race and No. 8 in the Race to the CME Globe standings.
Rose Zhang Up to No. 37 in the World
Rose Zhang continues to quietly move up in the world rankings, and this week was no different. She jumped eight spots in the rankings from 45th to 37th after a T9 finish at the U.S. Women’s Open. Fans have grown accustomed to seeing Zhang’s name at the top of the leaderboard; in only three events, the 2023 LPGA Tour rookie won the Mizuho Americas Open, finished in a tie for eighth at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and grabbed her second consecutive top 10 in a major last week in California. While she was unable to grab the win at Pebble Beach, her solid play indicates that Zhang just might find the winner’s circle again this season. It’s only a matter of time.
A New Leader in the Race to CME Globe
Ruoning Yin takes over the top spot in the Race to the CME Globe season-long competition after a tie for 20th showing in the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach. While Yin moved up one spot in the standings with 1,510.450 points, Ayaka Furue’s T6 showing bumped her up a couple of places, from fourth to second, only a mere 7.325 points behind Yin. While the Japan native has yet to step into the winner’s circle this season, last week’s T6 is her seventh top 10 of 2023.
Rolex Rankings World No. 1 Jin Young Ko dropped to solo third after a rare missed cut at the U.S. Women’s Open and sits less than 35 points behind with 1,477.823 points. In fourth is Lilia Vu, with 1,388.643 points; the Tour sophomore has two wins this season, becoming a Rolex First-Time Winner at the Honda LPGA Thailand and capturing her first major victory at The Chevron Championship. Rounding out the top five is Ashleigh Buhai (1,215.271 points), who has a victory at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, along with five additional top-10 finishes.
The 2023 Race to the CME Globe continues at this week’s Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio, with 500 points on the line.
USA Solheim Cup Standings Update
Players have shuffled in and out of the top seven positions in the Solheim Cup Standings, and the final few guaranteed spots on this year's team are still up for grabs. Corpuz jumped from seventh to third in the U.S. Solheim Cup Team standings with her victory at the U.S. Women's Open and will likely represent the United States in her first Solheim Cup come September. Jennifer Kupcho moved down one after a missed cut last week, but she holds a 55-point advantage over Cheyenne Knight for the seventh spot given to the top players in the standings.
Meanwhile, stellar performances by two-time Solheim Cupper Ally Ewing and rookie Zhang have them in the spotlight as they vie for the two guaranteed spots that go to the top two players in the Rolex Rankings not already eligible. Ewing's eleventh-place result at Pebble Beach moved her up two positions in the world rankings to No. 36, while Zhang jumped eight spots to No. 37 with yet another top-10 performance.
And with three captain's picks on the line to round out the team, United States captain Stacy Lewis has a lot to think about as the 2023 Solheim Cup draws near with only seven events remaining until the team will be finalized on Aug. 28, 2023, following the CPKC Women's Open.
Europe Solheim Cup Standings Update
Linn Grant and Maja Stark continue to lead the Solheim Cup standings for the Team Europe but Carlota Ciganda has closed the gap and only trails Stark by just over 16 points for one of the automatic spots on the team. The Spaniard moved down a spot in the Rolex Rankings to world No. 31 but is currently one of six players eligible who would get in via the Rolex Rankings.
But the story of U.S. Women’s Open week for the European team was Charley Hull and her runner-up performance. The five-time European Solheim Cup team member’s inspired 6-under 66 in the final round at Pebble Beach moved her up eight spots in the world rankings to No.18 and has her peaking at just the right time.
With four captain’s picks in addition to the automatic qualifiers and only six events remaining until the team is finalized on Aug. 20, 2023, following the ISPS Handa World Invitational, European captain Suzann Pettersen will be keeping a close watch on the rankings and tournament performance in the coming weeks.
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