The Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings began nearly a decade ago when Annika Sorenstam was the first No. 1-ranked player in the women’s golf world. With the Feb. 21, 2006 anniversary date of the rankings looming, the 2016 season should offer quite a birthday.
The rankings will continue to be a battle between current No. 1 Lydia Ko and No. 2 Inbee Park, who flip-flopped the No. 1 spot during the 2015 season. But even more impactful will be how players are ranked during a season that includes five major championships, the return of golf to the Olympics and the second installment of the UL International Crown. The rankings have a bearing on all, particularly the new pieces, the Olympics and UL International Crown.
Here’s a look at various aspects of the rankings’ influence in 2016:
Olympic Movement
Women’s golf was a part of the 1900 Olympics in Paris, but did not return in 1904 as the men had individual and team competitions that year in St. Louis. Now men and women will be back on the course in Brazil in mid-August.
With the rankings of July 11 being the final factor, 60 players will make the field. The top 15 qualify, with a limit of four players per country. The rest of the field is made up of the highest-ranked players from countries that do not already have two golfers qualified. The International Golf Federation has guaranteed that at least one golfer from the host nation and each geographical region (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania) will play. Currently, 34 different countries would be represented in Rio de Janeiro, with Republic Korea being the only one with four players.
Republic of Korea has a real battle to finalize its four, with eight players currently in the top 15. Inbee Park, So Yeon Ryu, Sei Young Kim and Amy Yang would make it this week.
The United States would be the only other country with more than two players. The three Americans today would be Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson and Cristie Kerr, with Brittany Linciome just outside at No. 16. Thompson, ranked No. 4 now, is pushing No. 3 Lewis for the spot as the top-ranked American.
Crowning Achievement
The jostling for position to compete in the UL International Crown is so intense that Spain, the winner of the first competition two years ago, isn’t among the top eight currently. The Spaniards will need to make up some ground in the rankings prior to the July 19-24 event, to be held at Merit Club in suburban Chicago. The current rankings include Republic of Korea, United States, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Sweden, England, Thailand and Australia among the teams.
The eight competing countries will be finalized by the combined rankings of the top four players from each country as of April 4. Countries must have a minimum of four ranked players to be eligible. Even though the countries are determined at that time, the final field of 32 players won’t be named until the rankings of June 13.
Moving On Up
The Rolex Women’s World Rankings offer players far down the list an opportunity to excel during the season and make a meteoric rise. Three players in 2015 started the season in virtual obscurity and bolted to the top, led by two rookies, Canada’s Brooke Henderson and American Alison Lee, and veteran Yani Tseng. The 17-year-old Henderson won the Cambia Portland Classic by a season-best eight strokes. Lee was consistent enough to make the U.S. Solheim Cup team. Tseng emerged from a slump to offer a glimpse of the No. 1 player she was a couple years ago.
If you’re looking for a player who could take a similar path, welcome rookie Annie Park to the LPGA. The native New Yorker by way of Southern Cal was the Epson Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year last season with three wins and captured the NCAA women’s medalist title in 2013 as a freshman.
Here’s a look at these four:
|
Player
|
Jan. 26, 2015 ranking
|
Jan. 25, 2016 ranking
|
|---|---|---|
|
Brooke Henderson
|
221 |
18
|
|
Alison Lee |
480 |
23
|
|
Yani Tseng
|
84 |
37
|
|
Annie Park
|
NR |
291
|
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)
)
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