Lydia Ko started her 2024 season as she broke through a year-long winless drought on the LPGA Tour. Now, the 2-time major winner has been only one point away from being inducted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame for which she has made arduous efforts nonetheless. However, a fellow LPGA Tour golfer poses an imminent threat. As Ko chases her dream of the heralded accolade. The golfer happens to be none other than Charley Hull.

It seems that while Ko was struggling for that one point in the Republic of China, Hull had performed exceptionally in Florida to put Ko one step behind her in the LPGA Tour world rankings and dethrone her from the best rank in the 2024 season.

Lydia Ko drops in Rolex world rankings

It has been nearly a year since New Zealand’s pride held the position of World No. 1. However, as Lydia Ko started her 2024 season with a victory at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, the 26-year-old was on her way to taking back the rank. She eventually made a jump from 10th to 9th.

However, after a fourth-place finish at the Blue Bay LPGA, Ko dropped by one rank from 7th, which she acquired after finishing as the runner-up at the Drive-On Championship. The rank fell because when Ko was battling it out on the Jian Lake greens, Charley Hull was playing incredibly well at the Aramco Team Series in Tampa. The Englishwoman finished solo second and took Ko’s place in the world rankings.

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If the dip in rank was not enough, the chance of being inducted into the Hall of Fame is continuously slipping away from the New Zealander’s grasp, as she is just one point away from achieving the major feat but lost to earn the honor first at the Bradenton Country Club and now at the recently at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club.

Though the drop in rank had been disheartening for Ko, it was still better than when she started the 2024 season as the 12th in the world. Regardless, the Rolex world ranking is changing with every event. And while Ko dropped one rank, another pro lost her rank as well because of her absence from the course.

Xiyu Lin surpasses Atthaya Thitikul

The 21-year-old from Thailand had been 10th on the Rolex rankings. However, after Chinese pro-Xiyu Lin finished tied for 10th at the Blue Bay LPGA, she replaced Thitikul in the world. On the other hand, the Thai prodigy didn’t have any performance to combat her rank change, as she hasn’t teed up for the 2024 season as of yet.

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Golf Week reported that the 2-time LPGA Tour winner had an injured left thumb. Her agent noted that on impact, the thump would be extremely painful and the doctor had advised her to take 6 to 8 weeks off. Hence, Thitikul has been absent from the game. This has resulted in her being the 11th in the world now.

The 21-year-old may make her return to the greens in late March; she might be present at the Seri Pak Championship, the next probably outing for Ko as well. With the best of the world’s coming back, will Ko successfully earn the Hall of Fame point soon? Stay tuned to find out.

Lydia Ko: Why the New Zealander Is Still the LPGA Tour’s Biggest Asset