LPGA major champion Kim Sei-young soars to No. 2 in world rankings

All News 08:34 October 13, 2020

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Kim Sei-young, freshly minted as an LPGA major champion, has soared to No. 2 in the world rankings.

Kim, who won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Sunday in Pennsylvania, jumped five spots to reach a career-high No. 2 in the latest rankings released Tuesday. Kim is right behind fellow South Korean Ko Jin-young, who hasn't played in an LPGA tournament this year during the coronavirus pandemic.

In this Associated Press photo, Kim Sei-young of South Korea hoists the trophy after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 11, 2020. (Yonhap)

Kim dominated the field in claiming her first LPGA major title, as she finished with a tournament record score of 266 (14-under) and tied a tournament record with a 63 in the final round. Kim now has 11 career LPGA wins, having captured at least one title in every season since her debut in 2015.

Kim beat compatriot Park In-bee by five strokes. And Park herself made a big climb in the rankings, going from ninth to fourth.

There are currently four South Koreans in the top 10: Ko, Kim, Park and Park Sung-hyun (No. 8).