Lydia Makes a Statement

I stated earlier in the week that I predicted Lydia Ko to lose her Number One ranking this week, as So Yeon Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn are inside a trifling zone factor of her. And while Lydia hasn't been gambling badly this yr, she hasn't gained but. With Ryu winning the ANA and Jutanugarn protecting this week, I assume that's a problem.

Apparently Lydia in the end determined to take topics into her personal hands.

After the first round, Lydia is at -4 (T5), two shots off Lexi Thompson's lead. So Yeon is three shots behind her at -1 (T34), and Ariya another two shots back at +1 (T73). While one round doesn't normally mean a whole lot, Lydia tied her best-ever round at Kingsmill and beat her best first round score by three shots. That's significant.

The LPGA has accomplished a put up with the various eventualities where each player will take over -- or in Lydia's case, maintain -- the Number One spot. It's a lengthy list, and puzzling. But here they are:

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There are numerous viable eventualities for each player to be ranked No. 1 following the Kingsmill Championship:

• If Lydia Ko wins, she will remain No. 1
• If either So Yeon Ryu or Ariya Jutanugarn win, they will become No. 1
• If Ko, Ryu and Ariya finish T2, Ko will remain No. 1
• If Ko and Ariya finish T2 AND Ryu finishes 3rd or worse, Ko will remain No. 1

So Yeon Ryu ought to take over No. 1 if any of the following eventualities (twelfth or better end) occur:

• Ryu is T2 with Ariya AND Ko finishes 3rd or worse
• Ryu is 2nd alone AND Ko and Ariya finishes T3 or worse
• Ryu is 3rd alone AND Ko and Ariya finishes T4 or worse
• Ryu is 4th alone AND Ko finishes 6th or worse AND Ariya finishes 5th or worse
• Ryu is 5th alone AND Ko finishes 11th or worse AND Ariya finishes 6th or worse
• Ryu is 6th alone AND Ko is not in top 14 AND Ariya is not in top 6
• Ryu is 7th alone AND Ko is not in top 18 AND Ariya is not in top 7
• Ryu is 8th alone AND Ko is not in top 24 AND Ariya is not in top 8
• Ryu is 9th alone AND Ko is not in top 30 AND Ariya is not in top 9
• Ryu is 10th alone AND Ko is not in top 40 AND Ariya is not in top 10
• Ryu is 11th alone AND Ko is not in top 50 AND Ariya is not in top 11
• Ryu is 12th alone AND Ko is not in the top 61 AND Ariya is not in the top 12

Ariya Jutanugarn could take over No. 1 if any of the following scenarios (7th or higher finish) arise:

• Ariya is 2nd alone AND Ko and Ryu finish T3 or worse
• Ariya is 3rd alone AND Ko is not in top 5 AND Ryu is not in top 3
• Ariya is 4th alone AND Ko is not in top 8 AND Ryu is not in top 4
• Ariya is 5th alone AND Ko is not in top 14 AND Ryu is not in top 5
• Ariya is 6th alone AND Ko is not in top 21 AND Ryu is not in top 7
• Ariya is 7th alone AND Ko is not in top 29 AND Ryu is not in top 8

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I think it's interesting that So Yeon Ryu has the most potential scenarios to take over the top spot, but Lydia still has a tremendous amount of leeway to prevent her from doing so. I mean, there are scenarios where Lydia can keep her spot just by making the cut. It's insane!

As I stated, one round would not decide anything. But Ariya is presently underneath the projected reduce and Ryu needs to get beyond 52 other players -- plus Ko -- to win. (Yes, the pinnacle of the leaderboard is truely packed after the primary round.) If Lydia simply performs strong golf for the relaxation of the event, she will be hard to seize.

And that may be the largest assertion Lydia Ko can make this week. I genuinely heard her loud and clean.