The Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings Move of the Week belongs to Rose Zhang, who jumped up 420 spots with her historic victory at the Mizuho Americas Open. Capturing her first LPGA title in her pro debut, Zhang moved from No. 482 to No. 62 in the world.
It's incredible to think that at 20 years old, Zhang has already accumulated 28 amateur victories, including back-to-back NCAA Championships (2022, 2023) while at Stanford University and the 2023 Augusta National Women's Amateur. She also spent 141 weeks at No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the most of any player in history. It seems like it will only a matter of time before Zhang captures her second career LPGA win.
Eun-Hee Ji Up to No. 45 in the World
Eun-Hee Ji quietly moved up 11 spots in the world rankings to No. 45 after a T4 finish at the Mizuho Americas Open. Ji was in the hunt for her seventh LPGA Tour victory but ultimately fell away, earning her first top 10 of the 2023 season with the T4 performance. While she was unable to grab the win, her solid play in New Jersey showed that Ji could again find the winner’s circle like she did in 2022.
Hae Ran Ryu Extends Lead for Rookie of the Year
Hae Ran Ryu has a tight grip on the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award, leading Grace Kim by 141 points after her third-place showing at the Mizuho Americas Open. In addition to her solo third, Ryu has earned three additional top-10 finishes this season, a T7 at the LPGA Drive On Championship, a T6 at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro and a solo fourth at the Cognizant Founders Cup.
To understand Ryu’s lead, a win is worth 150 points, and a major win is double, so for Kim to take the lead, she would need another win and have Ryu to not earn for the week.
But Rookie of the Year might not be the only award Ryu has a shot at winning this year. After last week in Jersey City, N.J., Ryu moved from 20th to 10th in the Race to the CME Globe. While she's over 739 points behind current leader Jin Young Ko, she still has plenty of time to make up ground. Ryu also moved up five spots in the Rolex Rankings to No. 30, the best spot she’s held since March of 2021 when she was ranked 17th.
USA Solheim Cup Standings Update
The Americans have a tight race for the final few guaranteed spots on this year’s Solheim Cup team, with a chance for movement this week. Cheyenne Knight holds an 11-point advantage over Andrea Lee for the seventh spot given to the top players in the Solheim Cup Standings . The other two guaranteed spots go to the top two players in the Rolex Rankings not already eligible and there will also be three captain's picks to round out the team. The team will be finalized on Aug. 28, 2023, following the CPKC Women’s Open.
Europe Solheim Cup Standings Update
Linn Grant and Maya Stark have a strong lead in the Solheim Cup standings for the European team heading into the major championship-filled summer months. Carlota Ciganda trails Stark by just over 59 points for one of the automatic spots on the team. The Spaniard moved down a spot in the Rolex Rankings to world No. 32 but has a firm hold as the leader of the six players not already eligible who will get in via the Rolex Rankings. The team will be finalized on Aug. 20, 2023, following the ISPS Handa World Invitational, with four captain’s picks available in addition to the automatic qualifiers.
Epson Tour's Race for the Card
Alena Sharp made biggest Race for the Card Move of the Week after capturing her second Epson Tour victory at the Champions Fore Change Invitational, jumping up 29 spots on the money list from No. 37 to No.8. Sharp has spent most of her career on the LPGA Tour, racking up nearly $3 million in career earnings before getting dual status for the 2023 season. She has played in four Epson Tour events in 2023 and has yet to miss a cut.
Gabriela Ruffels firmly holds the No. 1 spot in the Race for the Card standings after a T14 finish in New Bern, N.C. The Epson Tour sophomore has posted three top 10s in nine starts, including two wins at the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic and Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes. She sits $32,589 ahead of No. 2 Gigi Stoll, who finished runner-up in the Tar Heel State, to continue moving up the money list.
Rounding out the top ten in the Race for the Card standings are Natasha Andrea Oon (No. 3), Jenny Coleman (No. 4), Agathe Laisne (No. 5), Roberta Liti (No. 6), Jiwon Jeon (No. 7), Sharp (No. 8), Savannah Vilaubi (No. 9) and Min A Yoon (No. 10).
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