You’ve probably looked at the Rolex Rankings recently and noticed something weird. It’s early 2026, and while the name at the top might feel familiar, the math behind it just underwent a massive facelift. Most casual fans think the world ranking women's golf system is just a simple tally of who won the most trophies lately. Honestly? It's way more of a grind than that.
Jeeno Thitikul is sitting at World No. 1 right now with a massive 12.53 average. That’s not a typo. She’s nearly five points clear of Nelly Korda. If you’re wondering how someone builds a lead that looks like a canyon, you have to look at how the points actually age. It’s like milk—fresh at first, then it starts to turn.
The 2026 Points Overhaul is Kind of a Big Deal
Starting this January, the folks behind the rankings decided to stop being so stingy. Before, if you were playing in a "weaker" field on a smaller tour, you might finish 10th and get absolutely zero points. It sucked for developmental players.
Now? Basically, if you make the cut, you get points.
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This is a huge shift. It moves the needle for players on tours like the Epson or the newly added ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour (WAPT). They’re using a "linear" distribution now. Instead of grouping tournaments into buckets where an 81 strength-of-field event gets the same points as an 89, every single digit counts. Every point of "field strength" now creates a unique payout. It's more precise, and frankly, it's fairer.
Why the Top 10 Feels Like a Different Planet
Look at the current leaderboard as of mid-January 2026. It’s a mix of absolute veterans and "where did they come from?" rookies.
- Jeeno Thitikul (THA): 12.53 avg points.
- Nelly Korda (USA): 7.24 avg points.
- Minjee Lee (AUS): 5.74 avg points.
- Miyu Yamashita (JPN): 5.62 avg points.
- Charley Hull (ENG): 5.44 avg points.
The gap between Jeeno and Nelly is hilarious. It’s mostly because Jeeno hasn't just been winning; she’s been finishing in the top five with the regularity of a clock. In the world ranking women's golf math, consistency in high-SOF (Strength of Field) events is king. You can't just win one major and coast.
The "Divisor" Trap Nobody Talks About
Here is the part that usually trips people up. Your total points are divided by the number of events you’ve played over the last 104 weeks. But there’s a floor. It’s called the "minimum divisor," and it’s set at 35.
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If you’re a superstar who only plays 20 events because you’re picky or injured, the computer still divides your points by 35. It’s a penalty. It forces the best players to actually show up and play. Take Lottie Woad, the English sensation. She’s currently 11th in the world, which is insane considering she’s only played 18 counting events. Because she’s under that 35-event floor, her average is being suppressed. If she keeps this up as she plays more, she’s going to rocket into the top five.
She's basically playing like a top-three player but being "taxed" by the math.
Major Moments and the 2025 Hangover
The rankings right now are still vibrating from the 2025 season. Last year was wild. We had Mao Saigo taking down a five-way playoff at the Chevron—the biggest in major history. Then you had Grace Kim outlasting Jeeno in France at the Evian.
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Majors are worth a fixed 100 points to the winner. That’s the "Gold Standard." While other tournaments have their value fluctuate based on who shows up, the U.S. Women's Open or the AIG Women’s Open are always the biggest ATM for points.
The Japan Surge
Have you noticed how many JPN flags are in the top 50? It’s 2026, and the JLPGA is officially a powerhouse. Miyu Yamashita (No. 4) and Rio Takeda (No. 14) are proof that you don't necessarily have to live in the States to be a global elite.
The system tracks the top 400 players in the world to determine field strength. Because the depth in Japan and Korea is so high, their domestic tours often offer more points than some standard LPGA events. It's a global game, and the rankings finally reflect that.
What You Should Actually Watch
If you want to understand where the world ranking women's golf list is going, stop looking at the wins. Look at the "Events Played" column.
Players with high event counts (like Shuri Sakuma with 75 events!) have "heavy" divisors. It takes a massive win to move their average. Players with low counts (near 35) are the ones to watch. One good weekend for them is like a nitro boost.
Actionable Strategy for Following the Rankings
If you're a fan or a bettor trying to figure out who is actually "hot," don't just trust the rank number. Do these three things:
- Check the 13-week window: Points are "frozen" at full value for the first 13 weeks. After that, they start to decay. A player who won four months ago is actually losing "power" in the rankings every single Monday, even if they're sitting on the couch.
- Look for the "Under-Divisor" players: Keep an eye on anyone with fewer than 35 events. As they play more, their "true" rank reveals itself. Lottie Woad is the prime example right now.
- Ignore the "Total Points": Total points are a vanity metric. The "Average Points" is the only number that dictates the ranking. It’s a quality-over-quantity system.
The rankings update every Monday. By the time the LPGA schedule hits its stride this spring, expect a lot of movement in the 20-50 range as those new "points for making the cut" start to accumulate for the mid-tier players. The era of the "zero-point weekend" is officially over.