Timely Asiad Boost as Yin Soars to World Number One

Hangzhou, China: China has received a timely Asian Games boost with confirmation that Yin Ruoning has risen to number one in the Rolex Women's World Ranking.

The 20-year-old is only the second Chinese woman to claim the world number one ranking after Feng Shanshan, a 10-time LPGA Tour winner who reached the summit from November 2017 to April 2018.

“It means a lot. For me it’s like a dream come true,” said Yin, who won her first Major title in June at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, two months after collecting her first LPGA victory at the LA Open.

“I didn't get many chances to chat with Shanshan, but I’m looking forward to heading back to China and playing in the Asian Games and spend more time with her,” said Yin, whose appearance at the Westlake International Golf Club from September 28 to October 1 is a major boost for the home country’s prospects of individual and team success in the women’s event.

Yin’s return to China will also give her a chance to spend some time with Feng, who retired as a touring pro two years ago and is now head coach for the national team.

After a brilliant run of form, Yin entered last week’s Kroger Queen City Championship requiring a top-four finish to overtake American Lilia Vu at the top of the rankings.

Thanks to a final-round five-under par 67, Yin placed third on 14-under 274 at Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was her fourth third-place finish in the past five events, enabling her to become the fifth different player atop the rankings this year.

At the conclusion of the event on Sunday, she said: “Before this week, I knew that depending on what position I finished, I could be the world number one. I just kept that in my mind.

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

Yin was an accomplished amateur in China, winning nine titles in 2019 before turning professional. On the Asian scene, Yin first made her mark when representing China in the Queen Sirikit Cup in Thailand in 2018.

The China team, which also included Yin Xiaowen and Liu Wenbo, tied for seventh at Thana City in what was a star-studded line-up in the Asia-Pacific Ladies Amateur Invitational Team Championship. Also in the starting line-up were Yuko Saso (representing the Philippines), Thai Atthaya Thitikul, Australian Grace Kim and Japan’s Yuna Nishimura and Ayake Furue.

Yin has joined an impressive list of Queen Sirikit Cup players who have gone on to achieve Major victories in the professional game, including compatriot Feng, Saso, Australians Karrie Webb, Hannah Green and Minjee Lee, Chinese Taipei’s Tseng Ya-ni, Japan’s Ai Miyazato, Koreans Pak Se-ri and Shin Ji-yae and New Zealander Lydia Ko.

For Yin, her next target is an Asiad golfing gold.