A sixth 2024 victory at the Mizuho Americas Open has further solidified American gold medalist Nelly Korda’s place atop both the Olympic Golf Ranking and the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. But while Korda is already a shoo-in for the Paris Olympics, some of her LPGA Tour counterparts are still fighting tooth and nail for one of the coveted 60 spots at Le Golf National in August.
After moving into the top 10 in the Rolex Rankings for the first time in her career following her successful title defense at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro, Hannah Green has climbed to fifth in the world and is now the highest-ranked Australian in the Olympic Golf Ranking. She sits four spots ahead of Minjee Lee in the top 15 and barring a dramatic downturn from the 27-year-old, the five-time LPGA Tour winner should be making her second Olympic appearance in Paris in a few months’ time.
Two-time Epson Tour winner Alena Sharp has knocked Maddie Szeryk out of the second Canadian spot in the Olympic Golf Ranking. The 43-year-old has made two starts on the LPGA Tour in 2024, missing the cut at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship and tying for 35th at the Ford Championship presented by KCC. On the Epson Tour, Sharp has earned two top-five results so far this season, tying for fifth at the Florida's Natural Charity Classic and finishing solo third at the Copper Rock Championship.
New Zealand’s Fiona Xu captured her first Epson Tour victory at the Copper Rock Championship, defeating Kaleigh Telfer by a whopping seven shots in Hurricane, Utah, to rank first in the Race for the Card standings. Her 54-hole total of 22-under set a tournament and Epson Tour scoring record, and the win propelled Xu inside the top 60 in the Olympic Golf Ranking, knocking out Momoka Kobori. If she were to qualify, this year would mark the 19-year-old’s Olympic debut.
Slovenian Ana Belac has taken the place of Finnish LPGA Tour winner Matilda Castren in the top 60 after her solid play on the Epson Tour this season. The 27-year-old hasn’t finished worse than T11 on the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA in 2024 – tying for eighth at the Casino Del Sol Golf Classic, tying for 11th at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, tying for sixth IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty and finishing solo second at the Florida's Natural Charity Classic. Belac currently sits 54th in the Olympic Golf Ranking and is the only Slovenian in the top 60.
Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea has been replaced by Moroccan Ines Laklalech in the Olympic Golf Ranking. After losing her LPGA Tour card following the 2023 season, Laklalech has been competing on the Ladies European Tour in 2024, earning two top-10 finishes at the Lalla Meryem Cup, where she tied for seventh, and at the Investec South African Women’s Open, where she finished solo fifth.
There have also been changes with the Women’s Reallocation Reserve List for the Paris Olympics. American Jennifer Kupcho has replaced past Olympics participant Lexi Thompson on the list, and Japan’s Rio Takeda has replaced Mao Saigo. Additionally, Momoka Kobori of New Zealand, Finland's and Ecuador's Darquea are now on the Women’s Reallocation Reserve List.
The qualification period for the women’s golf competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics will conclude on June 24, following the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.
Gold Medalist Xander Schauffele Bolsters Team USA with PGA Championship Win, While Corey Conners Re-enters Conversation
American Xander Schauffele outlasted a thrilling challenge from countryman Bryson DeChambeau and Norway’s Viktor Hovland to win the second men’s major of the year, the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course.
Schauffele’s career, which was devoid of major victories to this point, had been highlighted by a finish atop the podium at the Tokyo Olympics. He finished at 21-under for the tournament last week after a birdie at the last – marking a record low for a men’s major – and now joins world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler as the top-two players in the world and top-two players in the Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR).
Along with Scheffler and Schauffele, Team USA is rounded out by No. 4 Wyndham Clark and No. 8 Patrick Cantlay, as the Americans are the only country currently with four players in the top 15, and hence, the only team poised to enter four players into the field at Le Golf National.
Elsewhere, with less than a month to go until the men’s OGR is finalized on June 18 (following the conclusion of the U.S. Open), Canadian Corey Conners overtook countryman Adam Hadwin after a top-15 finish in the Wells Fargo Championship. The trio of Conners, Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith are each within 11 spots of each other in the OGR with only a handful of events remaining.
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