Teenage Sensation on Strong Course to Create Women’s Golf History After Uncharacteristic Jin Young Ko Setback

Jin Young Ko is likely to lose her world no. 1 position! She has been maintaining the top position since the 2022 HSBC Women’s World Championship held in the first week of March. However, the current world no. 2 can easily replace the South Korean golfer if she plays her cards right. 

One more day to decide whether the current world no. 2, Atthaya Thitikul, can take over the world no. 1 position. She has to wait until the 2022 BMW Ladies Championship finishes to know whether she can replace Ko in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. 

How can Atthaya Thitikul become world no. 1? 

Thitikul has a chance to create a record in the history of women’s golf. She will be the second to become the world no. 1 as a teenager. The New Zealander, Lydia Ko, became the first to achieve this feat in 2015. 

With one round remaining to finish round three, the Thailand native Thitikul holds the lead at the BMW Ladies Championship. She has a one-shot lead over other players present in Oak Valley Country Club, South Korea, field. She can replace Ko if she continues to keep her lead.

According to reports, Thitikul only needs to finish nothing worse than a solo fourth to become the world no. 1. Interestingly, the 19-year-old is a rookie on the LPGA Tour, and the BMW Championship will be her third victory on the Tour. JTBC Classic and Walmart NW Arkansas Championship were her other Tour victories. 

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The lowest she ranked on the Rolex Women’s Golf Ranking was 20. However, her impressive play helped her to maintain herself in the top 10 in the last 30 consecutive weeks. 

Why didn’t Jin Young Ko get a chance to defend her rank at the BMW Ladies Championship? 

Ko took almost a two-month break from professional golf to let heal a wrist injury she has been having for a while. After failing to make a cut at the 2022 CP Women’s Open in August, she made a comeback on the Tour this week. Notably, she won the BMW Ladies Championship last year. 

However, the defending champion couldn’t create an impact at the event. She scored an overall 15-over from the first two rounds and withdrew from the competition before the third round.

Do you think Atthaya Thitikul can win the event or at least make it top four and win the world no. 1 rank? 

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