The Move of the Week belongs to Lauren Coughlin, who jumped 11 spots in the world rankings with her victory at the CPKC Women's Open. She moved from No. 38 to No. 27 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, marking the American's first time ever reaching the top 30.
The 31-year-old clinched her first LPGA Tour win on Sunday at Earl Grey Golf Club, defeating Mao Saigo by two strokes to become a Rolex First-Time Winner in Canada.
Coughlin's performance also puts her in contention to represent the United States at the prestigious Solheim Cup, a biennial women's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. With her victory last week, the American moved up one spot to fifth in the U.S. Solheim Cup points standings. Coughlin lives in Charlottesville, Va., and if she makes the U.S. Solheim Cup Team, she will be the first American to play in her home state since Tammie Green in 1998 at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.
Coughlin's win made her the third Rolex First-Time Winner of the season, alongside Bailey Tardy (Blue Bay LPGA) and Linnea Strom (ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer). She is also the fifth different American to win on Tour this season, joining Nelly Korda (6), Tardy (1), Rose Zhang (1) and Lilia Vu (1), bringing the total number of wins by American players to 10 in 2024.
Nataliya Guseva is a Rookie on the Rise
Nataliya Guseva carded a final-round 69 in Canada and picked up her third top-10 finish in her rookie season. The 21-year-old's T6 showing pushed her up 39 spots to No. 123 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, the first time she's been in the top 125 in her young career. Guseva started her rookie campaign ranked No. 493 in the world and has climbed 370 spots during her first season on the LPGA Tour.
The Epson Tour alum has made six cuts in 11 starts this season, earning two other top-10 results in addition to her tie for sixth at the CPKC Women's Open. She also recorded a tie for sixth at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro and then finished solo seventh at the Dow Championship with playing partner Paula Reto.
While Guseva's move in the Rolex Rankings was notable, her rise in the Race to the CME Globe standings has more considerable implications for the rest of the 2024 season. The Race to the CME Globe is the season-long points competition on the LPGA Tour that will see members finishing in the top 80 and ties on the previous season-ending Points List earn full status for the next season. Guseva's ascent from No. 80 to No. 62 is a clear indication of her growth and maturity during her rookie season, and it positions her well to qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship, also setting her up for success during the 2025 season.
Reflecting on her journey, Guseva said, "I think it is really important to take a rest and sometimes really enjoy (it) out here because not a lot of girls get out and play on the LPGA Tour. Just take it as a privilege playing out here, treating every day as a miracle playing here, and just wonderful. So, I love that. I'm enjoying spending time with the best players in the world and learning from them as well."
That is just a small glimpse into Guseva's humble and appreciative attitude towards her career and the opportunities it brings.
Mao Saigo Takes Lead in Rookie of the Year Standings
Mao Saigo now leads the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year point standings, sitting 95 points ahead of Jin Hee Im after her runner-up showing at the CPKC Women's Open.
While the 22-year-old has yet to step inside the winner's circle this season, Saigo has earned four top-10 finishes in 2024, tying for eighth at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro, tying for seventh at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, finishing in a tie for eighth at the Dow Championship with playing partner Yu Jin Sung and finishing solo second last week at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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