Singapore: On the back of successive victories on the China LPGA Tour, teenager Zhou Shiyuan has catapulted into the top-100 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Following her maiden China LPGA Tour triumph at last month’s Zhangjiagang Shuangshan Challenge, Zhou rose to 121st in the WAGR, making her the leading Chinese amateur in the standings.
In front of her hometown fans, the 14-year-old followed that up by defeating professional Michelle Zhang Yunxuan at the second hole of a sudden-death play-off in the Kove China Sports Lottery Chongqing Women’s Open.
With that success, Zhou became the youngest player to record two wins on the China LPGA Tour.
Zhou, who also defeated the professionals in May when she won the China LPGQ Xiamen Series – 5, strengthens her status as Chinese number one by climbing 37 spots in the WAGR to a career-best 84th.
Also making a notable rise in the latest edition of the rankings is New Zealand’s Chloe So.
After no fewer than nine top-seven finishes this year, including three seconds, So finally savoured victory at the Women's Auckland Match Play Championship.
At Whitford Park Golf Club, So defeated Queenie Lang by two holes in the final. The win sees So progress 109 places in the WAGR to 567th.
Meanwhile, Korean Kang Hyo-jeong was the ‘biggest mover of the week’. She jumped 915 rankings to 1,151st courtesy of second place in the 3rd Batam Kepri International Junior & Amateur Championship in Indonesia.
She finished two strokes behind Hong Kong’s Alanna Tee, who advances 424 positions to 275th to become Hong Kong’s third highest ranked player.
In the men’s rankings, the distinction of being the ‘biggest mover of the week’ went to Hamza Khattak of Pakistan.
With rounds of 71, 73 and 75 for a three-day aggregate of 219, Khattak swept to a nine-stroke success in the 53rd KPK Amateur Golf Championship.
He ascends 1,560 positions to 1,529th. It is his second win of the year following a seven-shot triumph in the Asghar Khan Amateur Championship.
