Lydia Ko’s grip on the No. 1 spot in women’s golf may be loosening but, despite a viral eye infection forcing her out of last week’s LPGA Tour event, the 20-year-old heads to Lorena Ochoa Match Play tournament atop the Rolex Rankings for the 80th straight week.
Lydia Ko retains No. 1 ranking despite withdrawing from Texas Shootout with eye infection
Lydia Ko stays atop the Rolex Rankings for the 80th straight week — just one of the amazing accomplishments in the spectacular career of the now-20-year-old.
Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images
Ko withdrew from the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout before her third round on Saturday with a puffy left eye that allergen blowing around in the Dallas-area air made worse.
“She has a swollen eye due to an infection most likely caused by allergy, which she was suffering all week and was advised by the doctor to not wear any contact lenses until it got better,” Ko’s agent Michael Yim said in a statement.
Ko, no longer a teenager after celebrating her 20th birthday on April 24, has not won on tour since July but has so far held off second-ranked So Yeon Ryu and No. 3 Ariya Jutanugarn from overtaking her in the standings. With rounds of 70 and 73, Ko was at 1-over and tied for 32nd when she withdrew.
Ryu, who defeated the penalized Lexi Thompson in a playoff at the ANA Inspiration three weeks ago, needed a top-two finish in Texas to leapfrog Ko, while Jutanugarn had to win the tourney. Ryu and Jutanugarn tied for ninth at 2-over — five strokes behind the playoff contenders Haru Nomura and Cristie Kerr.
Ko, meanwhile, enters her 20s as golf’s winningest teen prodigy, with two major championship titles and 12 other LPGA victories. Here are some of the achievements the Kiwi by way of South Korea accomplished as a teenager:
- Youngest player, at 14, to win a professional event (2012 New South Wales Women’s Open)
- Youngest LPGA winner, at 15 (2012 Canadian Women’s Open), youngest Ladies European Tour winner (New Zealand Women’s Open)
- Youngest player, at 16, to win two LPGA tournaments (successful defense of Canadian Women’s Open in 2013)
- Youngest player, at 17, to earn LPGA Rookie of the Year award, and youngest male or female golfer to ascend to No. 1 in the world rankings
- Youngest LPGA player, at 18, to win one major (2015 Evian Championship), two majors (2016 ANA Inspiration), Player of the Year honors, and LPGA money title
