Two-time LPGA Tour winner is second Thai to reach World No. 1

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 31, 2022 – For the first time in her career, Atthaya Thitikul has reached No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings as of the latest Rankings update. She becomes the 16th different player to reach No. 1 as well as the second player from Thailand to sit atop the Rolex Rankings following Ariya Jutanugarn, who was No. 1 for 23 total weeks between June 2017 and March 2019. Thitikul is also the second player to reach the No. 1 ranking in her LPGA Tour rookie year, after Sung Hyun Park in November 2017.

Thitikul moved one spot on the Rolex Rankings to World No. 1, passing Jin Young Ko, who has held the top spot since Jan. 31, 2022. Ko first became World No. 1 in April 2019 and has spent 152 total weeks atop the Rankings, six weeks shy of Lorena Ochoa’s record 158 weeks at the No. 1 position.

Thitikul is only the second player under age 20 to reach No. 1 at 19 years, 8 months and 11 days, joining Lydia Ko. Ko was 17 years, 9 months and 9 days when she first reached No. 1 in February 2015, and 18 years, 6 months and 2 days the second time she ascended to the top spot of the Rolex Rankings in October 2015.

"It means a lot for my team, my family, my supporters and myself. It is such an honor to have my name at the top amongst the biggest names of the game,” said Thitikul. “It is very special to get to the top but it is much harder to retain it. I still have a lot to learn from all the legends and current players both on and off the course. I will continue to work hard for my family, my team, my fans and my country."

Thitikul has two victories so far in 2022, becoming a Rolex First-Time Winner at the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol and adding another win at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. Along with her wins, Thitikul has recorded 12 additional top-10 finishes this season, including three at major championships. She currently leads in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings with 1,487 points, is third in scoring average on Tour (69.432) and fourth in the race to become Rolex Player of the Year (129 points). Thitikul also ranks first on Tour in birdies (375), second in rounds in the 60s (44) and tied for fourth in number of eagles (11).

Prior to joining the LPGA Tour, Thitikul became the youngest player ever to win the Ladies European Tour’s Race to Costa del Sol in 2021 while also securing Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors. At 14 years, 4 months and 19 days, Thitikul also became the youngest golfer to ever win a professional golf tournament with her victory at the LET’s Thailand Championship in 2017.

History of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings Number One Position

#	Player	Age (Y/M/D)	From:	To:	No. of Weeks
36	Atthaya Thitikul	19/8/3	October 31, 2022	Present	1
35	Jin Young Ko (4)	26/6/24	January 31, 2022	October 30, 2022	38
34	Nelly Korda (2)	23/3/11	November 8, 2021	January 30, 2022	12
33	Jin Young Ko (3)	26/3/18	October 25, 2021	November 7, 2021	2
32	Nelly Korda	22/11/0	June 28, 2021	October 24, 2021	17
31	Jin Young Ko (2)	24/0/22	July 29, 2019	June 27, 2021	100
30	Sung Hyun Park (4)	25/9/10	July 1, 2019	July 28, 2019	4
29	Jin Young Ko (1)	23/9/1	April 8, 2019	June 30, 2019	12
28	Sung Hyun Park (3)	25/5/13	March 4, 2019	April 7, 2019	5
27	Ariya Jutanugarn (3)	22/11/6	October 29, 2018	March 3, 2019	18
26	Sung Hyun Park (2)	24/10/29	August 20, 2018	October 28, 2018	10
25	Ariya Jutanugarn (2)	22/8/7	July 30, 2018	August 19, 2018	3
24	Inbee Park (4)	29/9/11	April 23, 2018	July 29, 2018	14
23	Shanshan Feng	28/3/8	November 13, 2017	April 22, 2018	23
22	Sung Hyun Park (1)	24/1/16	November 6, 2017	November 12, 2017	1
21	So Yeon Ryu	26/11/28	June 26, 2017	November 5, 2017	19
20	Ariya Jutanugarn (1)	21/6/20	June 12, 2017	June 25, 2017	2
19	Lydia Ko (2)	18/6/2	October 26, 2015	June 11, 2017	85
18	Inbee Park (3)	26/11/3	June 15, 2015	October 25, 2015	19
17	Lydia Ko (1)	17/9/9	February 2, 2015	June 14, 2015	19
16	Inbee Park (2)	26/3/15	October 27, 2014	February 1, 2015	14
15	Stacy Lewis (2)	29/3/17	June 2, 2014	October 26, 2014	21
14	Inbee Park (1)	24/9/3	April 15, 2013	June 1, 2014	59
13	Stacy Lewis (1)	28/1/2	March 18, 2013	April 14, 2013	4
12	Yani Tseng	22/0/22	February 14, 2011	March 17, 2013	109
11	Jiyai Shin (3)	22/6/4	November 1, 2010	February 13, 2011	15
10	Cristie Kerr (3)	33/0/13	October 25, 2010	October 31, 2010	1
9	Ai Miyazato (3)	25/2/4	August 23, 2010	October 24, 2010	9
8	Cristie Kerr (2)	32/10/4	August 16, 2010	August 22, 2010	1
7	Jiyai Shin (2)	22/2/28	July 26, 2010	August 15, 2010	3
6	Ai Miyazato (2)	25/1/0	July 19, 2010	July 25, 2010	1
5	Cristie Kerr (1)	32/8/16	June 28, 2010	July 18, 2010	3
4	Ai Miyazato (1)	25/0/2	June 21, 2010	June 27, 2010	1
3	Jiyai Shin (1)	22/0/5	May 3, 2010	June 20, 2010	7
2	Lorena Ochoa	25/5/8	April 23, 2007	May 2, 2010	158
1	Annika Sorenstam	35/4/11	February 20, 2006	April 22, 2007	61

History of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings Number One Position

Lorena Ochoa	158 weeks
Jin Young Ko	152 weeks
Yani Tseng	109 weeks
Inbee Park	106 weeks
Lydia Ko	104 weeks
Annika Sorenstam	61 weeks
Nelly Korda	29 weeks
Stacy Lewis	25 weeks
Jiyai Shin	25 weeks
Shanshan Feng	23 weeks
Ariya Jutanugarn	23 weeks
Sung Hyun Park	20 weeks
So Yeon Ryu	19 weeks

Atthaya Thitikul Becomes No. 1 in Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings

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