"It is very special to get to the top but it is much harder to retain it.” Thai Teenage Golfer Atthaya Thitukul quotes.

 

Athhaya Thitukul,19, becomes number one in the Women's World Golf Ranking

Atthaya Thitukul achieved the No.1 position in the Women’s World Golf Rankings on Monday, successfully cementing her status as the second youngest world number one in the history of women’s golf after making an incredible LPGA debut this year.

 

The 19-year-old Teenage Golf icon registered two times victories on the US-based elite women’s tour in 2022 and has 12 other top 10 finishes this season, making her strong mark at the top above South Korea’s Ko Jin-young.

 

Ko has been maintaining her rankings since January but later she had to withdraw from her home event BMW Ladies Championship last month as she suffered a severe wrist injury. 

 

Atthaya is the only second player under 20 to reach number one- New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was 17 when she seized the first position in the rankings of 2015. As of the latest ranking updates, Ko is now world number three.

“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 Atthaya.

 “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.”

One of her major successes was in 2017 when Atthaya became the youngest golfer to win a professional golf tournament when she cruised to victory at the Ladies European Thailand Championship title as an amateur at 14 years. Atthaya also captured the No.1 rank as an amateur for 12 weeks in 2019 when she was 16. 

After being victorious four times on the Ladies European Tour from 2017-2021, Thitikul has accomplished two times victory on LPGA Tour this season: the JTBC Classic in March and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in September.