Lishu Ying Becomes First Chinese KLPGA Champion, Climbs to 138th in World Rankings
by Roh Woolae
Published 28 Oct.2025 06:55(KST)
Updated 28 Oct.2025 07:26(KST)
Earns Points with Gwangnam Ilbo and Happiness Open Victory
Thitikul, Korda, and Minjee Lee Hold Top 3 Spots
Kim Hyojoo 8th, Kim Seiyoung 12th, Hwang Yoomin 33rd
Lishu Ying of China has climbed to 138th in the world rankings.
According to the weekly women's golf world rankings announced on the 27th (local time), she earned 0.94 points, jumping 84 spots from 222nd last week. She claimed her first-ever victory at the Gwangnam Ilbo and Happiness Open on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour last week. This marks the first KLPGA Tour win by a Chinese player. She also became the first foreign player in 10 years to win a regular KLPGA Tour event, following Haru Nomura of Japan, who won the Hanwha Finance Classic in September 2015.
Lishu Ying is cheering after securing victory at the Gwangnam Ilbo and Happiness Open. Provided by KLPGA
원본보기 아이콘Lishu Ying is the first foreign player to debut on the regular KLPGA Tour by going through the same process as domestic players, following the association's decision to fully open the semi-member selection and Jump (third division) Tour to foreign players. She played as a rookie on the regular tour in 2023, and her best results until now were two tied-for-fourth finishes this year. She is from Shanghai, China, and was born to a Chinese father and a Korean (ethnic Korean Chinese) mother.
At the top of the rankings, Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand, Nelly Korda of the United States, Minjee Lee of Australia, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, and Charley Hull of England maintained their positions in the top five. Among Korean players, Kim Hyojoo holds the highest ranking at eighth. Kim Seyoung is 12th, Yoo Haeran is 14th, Choi Hyejin is 21st, Ko Jin-young is 22nd, Kim Arim is 27th, and Hwang Yoomin is ranked 33rd.
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