Jin Young Ko Breaks Lorena Ochoa's Record With 159 Weeks At World No.1
Ko reached 159 weeks at the top of the world rankings after her T20 at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship


Jin Young Ko has surpassed Lorena Ochoa’s 13-year record for total weeks at the top of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
The South Korean moved to the top of the rankings for the fifth time in her career at the end of last month, and her tie for 20th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship was enough to hand her the 159th week at the summit, surpassing the Mexican, who won 27 times on the LPGA Tour between 2004 and 2009.
World No. 1 for 159 weeks! 👏Jin Young Ko breaks Lorena Ochoa’s record of most weeks spent as @ROLEX Rankings No. 1.Ko has held the No. 1 position five different times since April 2019. pic.twitter.com/psXnb8MUDPJune 26, 2023
Ko has achieved the feat despite being plagued by a wrist injury in 2022. However, after being ranked fifth in the world on her return to action for the Honda LPGA Thailand in February, she soon made up for lost time.
Ko tied for sixth in that tournament and followed that up with a win in the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Another victory in the Cognizant Founders Cup in May returned her to the top spot, and she’s not looked back since.
Her current five-week stint at the top follows a 12-week period between April and June 2019, a 100-week run from July that year to June 2021, a two week spell later that year and a 39-week stretch in 2022.
Following the achievement, Ochoa was one of the first to congratulate the two-time Major winner. In a video message released via the LPGA Tour, she said: “I know that today is a very special day and I wanted to be the first one to say ‘congratulations’ to you, to Dave [Brooker, Ko’s caddie], to your family and your team. It’s great – so many weeks as the number one player in the world. I just wish you the best, continue in that direction and really, really, congratulations.”
Message from @LorenaOchoaR to Jin Young Ko on a very special day ❤️ pic.twitter.com/v1REArvpxtJune 26, 2023
While Ko has now surpassed Ochoa’s record for total number of weeks at the top, she has some way to go to beat another her records – Ochoa achieved the feat in an unbroken stint between April 2007 and May 2010.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Compared to Ochoa, Ko also has relatively few LPGA Tour wins, at 15. However, she has achieved those in less than six years. Still aged only 27, there is every chance she will enjoy many more wins – and weeks at the top – in the coming years.
Ko will now have her sights on cementing her position, starting in two weeks at the third Major of the year, the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
-
The Former College Prospect Who's Contending At The PGA Championship With Tiger Woods' Former Caddie
Michael Thorbjornsen is in contention going into the weekend at Quail Hollow, with his veteran caddie, Lance Bennett, playing a big part in the strong showing
-
Who Is Jhonattan Vegas’ Wife?
The Venezuelan has built a long and successful professional career, and for much of it, wife Hildegard has been one of his biggest supporters
-
LET Winner Among Nine Players Penalized For Slow Play During US Women's Open Qualifier
Aline Krauter was among nine players hit with a one-stroke penalty for slow play at a US Women's Open qualifier at Grey Oaks Country Club on Wednesday
-
Jeeno Thitikul Cruises To Fifth LPGA Tour Win At Mizuho Americas Open
The Thai star carded a bogey-free final round of 69 at Liberty National to ease to the title by four
-
Saudi PIF Pumps More Cash Into Women's Golf As Title Sponsor Of Revamped LET Series
The Saudi Public Investment Fund has strengthened its standing in women's golf by sponsoring the LET's newly formed Global Series of events
-
Former World No.1 Yani Tseng Books US Women's Open Return After Switching To Left-Handed Putting
The five-time Major winner emerged the winner of a playoff at the Arizona Country Club qualifier
-
Mizuho Americas Open Prize Money Payout 2025
Nelly Korda defends her title at the Liberty National tournament in New Jersey, where an identical sum to 2024 is on offer
-
Haeran Ryu Seals Wire-To-Wire Win In Black Desert Championship For Third LPGA Tour Title
The South Korean produced a dominant display in the final round to win by five over Esther Henseleit and Ruoning Yin
-
Tour Pro Self-Reports Two-Stroke Penalty At Black Desert Championship
Perrine Delacour self-reported her mistake, which took place on the 18th of her third round of the Black Desert Championship
-
Tour Pro Narrowly Misses Cut After Being Assessed Slow Play Penalty
Chisato Iwai was assessed a two-shot penalty for slow play during the second round of the Black Desert Championship, with it proving to be a pivotal factor as she missed the cut by two strokes