Papp secures U.S. Women’s Open return
16 Dec 2020
The Men
Performances of the week
Ding becomes China’s number two player
China’s Wenyi Ding advances 36 positions to a career best 127th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking® after an outstanding performance in the Volvo China Open on the China Tour. He becomes the second highest ranked Chinese player behind 17th ranked Yuxin Lin.
Only one player, Zhang Hullin, stood between Ding and victory. Hullin won by nine shots, but Ding took second spot on his own by three shots after scores of 70, 65, 72 and 71 for a 278 total.
While the professionals may have been surprised at his performance, Ding turned up for the tournament in excellent form. The Changpin resident warmed up for his national championship with four victories in his last six starts, including wins in his previous three outings. He was runner-up in the other two events.
Ding not only attains his highest WAGR® status, he replicates that feat on the Official World Golf Ranking. He moves six spots among the world’s professionals to 954th.
Desert delight for Chirravuri
American Mahanth Chirravuri climbs 433 positions to 2,258th with victory in the Desert Amateur at Whirlwind Golf Club in Arizona. Rounds of 70, 69 and 67 gave Chirravuri a 206 total and a one-shot win.
Top 20 movers
Ty Strafaci of the United States is the only new top 20 player in a week with no new top 50 entrants. The reigning U.S. Amateur champion edges up one spot to occupy 20th spot, his highest WAGR® position.
Biggest ranking improvement
Thailand’s Ratchanon Chantananuwat takes that honour with a jump of 973 rankings to 2,289th thanks to victory in the Faldo Series Thailand Championship – Hua Hin. It was Chantananuwat’s second straight win following the TJDT Invitational 2020 in October.
The Women
Performances of the week
Papp secures U.S. Women’s Open return
It was probably a stretch to expect Kaitlyn Papp to win the U.S Women’s Open, but that didn’t stop the 22-year-old Austin, Texas native from giving it a good try. She entered the final round with a chance to join France’s Catherine Lacoste as the only amateur to win a women’s major. Lacoste won the 1967 U.S. Women’s Open.
Papp had a birdie chance early in the final round to get within one shot of the lead. It wasn’t to be over the tough Champions Golf Club in Houston. One of 24 amateurs to qualify for the championship, Papp finished with a closing 3-over 74 to finish equal ninth on 3-over par 287, six shots behind winner A Lim Kim of Korea. It made Papp the low amateur by a stroke over Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels and Maja Stark of Sweden. Her top 10 finish earns Papp a spot in the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open.
Stark’s compatriots Linn Grant and Ingrid Lindblad also made the cut, finishing 23rd and 30th respectively. Former world number one Pauline Roussin-Bouchard of France placed 46th.
Papp jumps eight places to 11th on this week’s World Amateur Golf Ranking®. Ruffels makes a four-spot move to sixth. Stark is five positions better off in ninth. Grant, Lindblad and Roussin-Bouchard all move up one position to fourth, third and second respectively.
Top 20 movers
Austria’s Emma Spitz moves back into the top 20 with one-ranking move to 20th. There are no new top 50 players this week.
Biggest ranking improvement
America Ina Kim-Schaad makes the biggest move. Kim-Schaad was one of those 24 amateurs who played in the U.S. Women’s Open. The reigning U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion missed the cut, but jumps 783 positions to 375th, her highest position on the WAGR® table.
