China’s Yin Ruoning becomes women’s golf world number one

Ruoning Yin of China plays her shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G at Kenwood Country Club on September 07, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Dylan Buell / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

China’s Yin Ruoning became the world number one in women’s golf on Sunday by finishing third at the LPGA Queen City Championship.

The 20-year-old became only the second Chinese woman to claim the world number one ranking after Feng Shanshan, who reached the summit from November 2017 to April 2018.

“It means a lot. For me it’s like dream come true,” Yin said.

“I’ve got goosebumps. World number one is the big step on the way to chasing Shanshan.”

Yin will play on a Chinese team coached by Feng in the Asian Games, which open on September 23 on home soil at Hangzhou.

“I didn’t get a lot of chance to chat with Shanshan,” Yin said. “But I’m looking forward to going back to China and play the Asian Games and spend more time with her, considering she’s the head coach on our national team.”

Yin, who needed a top-four result to overtake American Lilia Vu for the top spot, missed out by two strokes on a playoff for the Queen City title between Australia’s Minjee Lee, who won the title with a birdie on the second extra hole, and England’s Charley Hull.

But Yin fired a final-round five-under par 67 to finish third on 14-under 274 at Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio, and become the fifth different player atop the rankings this year.

“It’s just amazing,” Yin said.

“My mind is blank right now.”

Ruoning Yin of China lines up a putt during the first round of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G at Kenwood Country Club on September 07, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Justin Casterline/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Justin Casterline / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Second-ranked Yin won her first major title in June at the Women’s PGA Championship, two months after collecting her first LPGA victory at the LA Open.

Others atop the rankings this year included New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, Americans Vu and Nelly Korda and South Korea’s Ko Jin-young.

Vu’s three triumphs this year included major wins at the Chevron Championship in April and the Women’s British Open in August.

Yin never managed to share the lead, settling for her fourth third-place finish in five events, but did what she needed to leap to the top of the rankings.

“I’m pretty comfortable,” Yin said. “Just every week I know I’m in good spot and every week I can put myself into that winning circle. It’s just amazing to see I can play good, but also consistent.”

Yin sandwiched birdies at the par-5 second and fourth holes around another at the par-3 third to charge into third early.

She began the back nine with a birdie and added another at the par-5 15th to solidify her hold on the spot, then parred her way to the clubhouse.

“Before this week, I know (depending on) what position I finish, I can be the world number one,” Yin said. “I just keep that in my mind.

“Last hole I checked the leaderboard. I was like, ‘OK, another week finishing third, but I’m assuming I’ll be the world number one.'”