Two-time LPGA Tour winner and 2022 rookie is second Thai to reach World No. 1 and at just 19-years-old

For the first time in her career, Atthaya Thitikul has reached No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings as of the latest Rankings update. She becomes the 16th different player to reach No. 1 as well as the second player from Thailand to sit atop the Rolex Rankings following Ariya Jutanugarn, who was No. 1 for 23 total weeks between June 2017 and March 2019. Thitikul is also the second player to reach the No. 1 ranking in her LPGA Tour rookie year, after Sung Hyun Park in November 2017.

Thitikul moved one spot on the Rolex Rankings to World No. 1, passing Jin Young Ko, who has held the top spot since Jan. 31, 2022. Ko first became World No. 1 in April 2019 and has spent 152 total weeks atop the Rankings, six weeks shy of Lorena Ochoa’s record 158 weeks at the No. 1 position.

Thitikul is only the second player under age 20 to reach No. 1 at 19 years, 8 months and 11 days, joining Lydia Ko. Ko was 17 years, 9 months and 9 days when she first reached No. 1 in February 2015, and 18 years, 6 months and 2 days the second time she ascended to the top spot of the Rolex Rankings in October 2015.

"It means a lot for my team, my family, my supporters and myself. It is such an honor to have my name at the top amongst the biggest names of the game,” said Thitikul. “It is very special to get to the top but it is much harder to retain it. I still have a lot to learn from all the legends and current players both on and off the course. I will continue to work hard for my family, my team, my fans and my country."

Thitikul has two victories so far in 2022, becoming a Rolex First-Time Winner at the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol and adding another win at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. Along with her wins, Thitikul has recorded 12 additional top-10 finishes this season, including three at major championships.

She currently leads in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings with 1,487 points, is third in scoring average on Tour (69.432) and fourth in the race to become Rolex Player of the Year (129 points). Thitikul also ranks first on Tour in birdies (375), second in rounds in the 60s (44) and tied for fourth in number of eagles (11).

Prior to joining the LPGA Tour, Thitikul became the youngest player ever to win the Ladies European Tour’s Race to Costa del Sol in 2021 while also securing Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors.

At 14 years, 4 months and 19 days, Thitikul also became the youngest golfer to ever win a professional golf tournament with her victory at the LET’s Thailand Championship in 2017.

History of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings Number One Position

#PlayerAge (Y/M/D)From:To:No. of Weeks
36Atthaya Thitikul19/8/3October 31, 2022Present1
35Jin Young Ko (4)26/6/24January 31, 2022October 30, 202238
34Nelly Korda (2)23/3/11November 8, 2021January 30, 202212
33Jin Young Ko (3)26/3/18October 25, 2021November 7, 20212
32Nelly Korda22/11/0June 28, 2021October 24, 202117
31Jin Young Ko (2)24/0/22July 29, 2019June 27, 2021100
30Sung Hyun Park (4)25/9/10July 1, 2019July 28, 20194
29Jin Young Ko (1)23/9/1April 8, 2019June 30, 201912
28Sung Hyun Park (3)25/5/13March 4, 2019April 7, 20195
27Ariya Jutanugarn (3)22/11/6October 29, 2018March 3, 201918
26Sung Hyun Park (2)24/10/29August 20, 2018October 28, 201810
25Ariya Jutanugarn (2)22/8/7July 30, 2018August 19, 20183
24Inbee Park (4)29/9/11April 23, 2018July 29, 201814
23Shanshan Feng28/3/8November 13, 2017April 22, 201823
22Sung Hyun Park (1)24/1/16November 6, 2017November 12, 20171
21So Yeon Ryu26/11/28June 26, 2017November 5, 201719
20Ariya Jutanugarn (1)21/6/20June 12, 2017June 25, 20172
19Lydia Ko (2)18/6/2October 26, 2015June 11, 201785
18Inbee Park (3)26/11/3June 15, 2015October 25, 201519
17Lydia Ko (1)17/9/9February 2, 2015June 14, 201519
16Inbee Park (2)26/3/15October 27, 2014February 1, 201514
15Stacy Lewis (2)29/3/17June 2, 2014October 26, 201421
14Inbee Park (1)24/9/3April 15, 2013June 1, 201459
13Stacy Lewis (1)28/1/2March 18, 2013April 14, 20134
12Yani Tseng22/0/22February 14, 2011March 17, 2013109
11Jiyai Shin (3)22/6/4November 1, 2010February 13, 201115
10Cristie Kerr (3)33/0/13October 25, 2010October 31, 20101
9Ai Miyazato (3)25/2/4August 23, 2010October 24, 20109
8Cristie Kerr (2)32/10/4August 16, 2010August 22, 20101
7Jiyai Shin (2)22/2/28July 26, 2010August 15, 20103
6Ai Miyazato (2)25/1/0July 19, 2010July 25, 20101
5Cristie Kerr (1)32/8/16June 28, 2010July 18, 20103
4Ai Miyazato (1)25/0/2June 21, 2010June 27, 20101
3Jiyai Shin (1)22/0/5May 3, 2010June 20, 20107
2Lorena Ochoa25/5/8April 23, 2007May 2, 2010158
1Annika Sorenstam35/4/11February 20, 2006April 22, 200761

History of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings Number One Position

Lorena Ochoa158 weeks
Jin Young Ko152 weeks
Yani Tseng109 weeks
Inbee Park106 weeks
Lydia Ko104 weeks
Annika Sorenstam61 weeks
Nelly Korda29 weeks
Stacy Lewis25 weeks
Jiyai Shin25 weeks
Shanshan Feng23 weeks
Ariya Jutanugarn23 weeks
Sung Hyun Park20 weeks
So Yeon Ryu19 weeks
Ai Miyazato11 weeks
Cristie Kerr5 weeks
Atthaya Thitikul1 week

There's no doubt that Atthaya Thitikul is a major golfing talent and she's only just getting started...