Lydia Ko’s Hard Work in Vain After LPGA ‘Wild Card’ Plays Spoilsport in Her Fight Against Nelly Korda

It felt almost impossible for Lydia Ko to close the gap with the formidable World No. 1, Nelly Korda at the beginning of 2024. Soon a shift came, bringing Ko into the spotlight.

Korda started her season with five consecutive wins, and Ko started with a win at the Hilton Grand Vacations TOC. Soon, one victory turned into more, including a major, and a gold in Paris. Needless to say, the 27-year-old pro reminded us why she’s one of the 35 women in the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.

Well, her dominance in the golf world was palpable until the season took a surprising turn in favor of Hae-ran Ryu.

With a stellar third-place finish at the Maybank Championship, Ryu elevated herself right above Ko, landing solidly at No. 2 in the Race to CME Globe rankings.

When the LPGA Tour recently dropped its rankings on Instagram, there was Ryu just below Korda, while Ko slid down to No. 3. This may come as a surprise to a few, especially considering Ko’s impressive resume this year. Ko is now 36.634 points short of the Korean golfer. Despite her relentless efforts, Ko’s path was blocked by an unexpected contender who shook up the standings.

Ryu’s first victory as the LPGA Tour player came back in October 2023, when she won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, followed by the 2024 FM Championship, and of course, her recent performance at the Maybank Championship was nothing short of remarkable. Overall, she has had 12 top-10 finishes this year. And now, the 23-year-old is gearing up to compete in the TOTO Japan Classic, scheduled from October 30 to November 3, 2024.