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.
