Nelly Korda, the American golf superstar, lost her No. 1 spot in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings today, ending a 71-week reign that began in March 2024, following a tied-for-36th finish at the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl.
Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, who finished T30 at the same event, is projected to overtake Korda, marking her second stint as world No. 1 after a brief two-week run in 2022.
Korda, 27, has held the top ranking for 108 weeks across her career, including a historic 2024 season where she won seven LPGA Tour events, five consecutively, and her second major at the Chevron Championship. Despite a consistent 2025 with 13 cuts made in 13 starts and five top-10 finishes, including a T2 at the U.S. Women’s Open, Korda’s winless campaign and a final-round 75 (+3) at the AIG Women’s Open—her worst of the week—proved costly.
Thitikul, 22, capitalized with a one-over-par total, finishing six spots ahead of Korda, enough to edge her out by a slim margin of 0.1861 average points entering the event.
Thitikul’s rise is fueled by a strong 2025, including a victory at the Mizuho Americas Open, runner-up finishes at the Amundi Evian Championship and HSBC Women’s World Championship, and seven top-10s in 12 LPGA starts. The Thai star, who became the second-youngest No. 1 in 2022, also won the 2024 CME Group Tour Championship, pocketing a record $4 million. Her T30 at Royal Porthcawl, though not her best, secured the points needed to dethrone Korda.
Korda’s 71-week run is the fifth-longest in Rolex Rankings history, behind Jin Young Ko (163 weeks), Lorena Ochoa (158), Lydia Ko (125), and Yani Tseng (109). Her 2025 season, while solid, fell short of her 2024 dominance, with analysts noting her struggles in majors, including a T26 at the Amundi Evian and a missed opportunity at Royal Porthcawl, where Miyu Yamashita claimed her first major title at 11-under.
“I’ve had a lot of lows too with this sport, but I still come back,” Korda said pre-tournament, reflecting on her drive to regain form.
With four months left in the season, including high-stakes events like the CME Group Tour Championship, Korda has ample opportunity to reclaim the top spot, but for now, Thitikul’s consistency has shifted the rankings, underscoring the LPGA’s fierce competition in a year with 20 different winners in 20 events.
