As the Women’s Olympic Golf Rankings qualification period deadlines looms, this week’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play hosted by Shadow Creek is another opportunity for international players to secure their position in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this August. The Olympic field, restricted to 60 players for each of the men’s and women’s competitions. For the women’s event, the International Golf Federation (IGF) utilizes the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings to create the Olympic Golf Rankings as a method of determining eligibility.
The top-15 world-ranked players will be eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from a given country. Beyond the top 15, players will be eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15.
With her first win on the LPGA Tour at the Pure Silk Championship presented by Visit Williamsburg, Wei-Ling Hsu further secured her place as the top player from Chinese Taipai, rising 30 spots to No. 78 in the world. It’s her highest position on the Rolex Rankings since September 2019, and Hsu is now 64 spots higher than the next-ranked player from her country, Teresa Lu. Hsu withdrew from this week’s event in Las Vegas but will be back for the U.S. Women’s Open.
After a solo third finish at the Pure Silk Championship, Jessica Korda jumped to No. 12 in the Rolex Rankings, widening the gap to four positions between her and Austin Ernst at No. 16. Korda continues to hold the final spot on the U.S. Olympic team, and aims to join sister Nelly, Danielle Kang and Lexi Thompson in her first-career Games this summer in Tokyo.
Another to rise further through the Rankings is Albane Valenzuela. Sitting at No. 183 in the world, Valenzuela rose 25 spots after her T13 performance in Williamsburg. She’s risen 246 spots on the year, first breaking into the top 200 the week of March 8th after a career-best fifth at the LPGA Drive On Championship presented by Golden Ocala. She is the lone Swiss player in the top 400 of the Rolex Rankings, and is looking to compete in her second Olympics at just 23-years-old. In 2016, Valenzuela finished T21 as an amateur, one of three among the 60-player field along with fellow 2020/21 Tour rookie Leona Maguire and Tiffany Chan. As of March 24, Valenzuela is now ranked No. 46 in the Olympic Golf Rankings.
For more information on the Olympic Golf Rankings and an updated Women’s Reallocation Reserve List, click here: https://www.igfgolf.org/tokyo-2020-olympic-golf-rankings
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