The 2025 AIG Women’s Open featured a highly competitive field at the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, where elite golfers sought to claim a Major championship title. Among the contenders was Nelly Korda, whose performance significantly affected her standing in the world rankings. Despite high expectations, Korda’s difficulties during the tournament prevented her from finishing inside the top 25, a critical threshold for maintaining her World No. 1 position.
Critical Setbacks for Nelly Korda and Other Leading Players
Heading into the final round, Nelly Korda held rounds of 2 under par 70, even par 72, and 2 over par 74, indicating a mixed but promising start. She needed a strong closing round to secure a top 25 finish and hold on to her World No. 1 ranking. However, she struggled on Sunday, posting a three-over-par 75, which resulted in a total score of 3 over par for the tournament. This finish left her tied for 36th place, ending her 71-week reign at the top of the world golf rankings.
Similarly, Lydia Ko started the tournament with a pair of 1-over-par 73 rounds, showing steadiness early on. Her best round came on Saturday with a 2-under-par 70 score. Despite that improvement, Ko faltered in the final round with a 3-over-par 75, matching Korda’s tied 36th position.
Pauline Roussin-Bouchard also faced inconsistency, having made the cut after missing it twice in a row previously. She opened with a difficult 4-over-par 76, bounced back impressively with a 3-under-par 69 on Friday, but then endured an arduous 8-over-par 80 round on Saturday. This round included eight bogeys and one double bogey, highlighting her struggles. Her final round showed some promise early with five pars and an eagle on the sixth hole, but she closed with five bogeys and two double bogeys, finishing near the bottom in 69th place out of 71 competitors.
Additional Players Struggle Amid Tough Conditions
Leona Maguire, seeking to extend her sequence of strong finishes, found the event challenging. Her initial rounds were consistent, scoring even par 72 and 1-over-par 73. However, her performance declined over the weekend, with a 3-over-par 75 on Saturday affected by four bogeys, followed by a difficult final round where she hit just nine greens in regulation and posted a 7-over-par 79. This caused her to finish tied for 63rd, ending her streak of four consecutive top-20 finishes.
Patty Tavatanakit also experienced a downturn after a series of top-20 finishes this season. The World No. 38 player ended the tournament tied for 63rd, with an 11-over-par total score. Her accuracy off the tee was limited to hitting only 22 of 56 fairways, while she managed 43 of 72 greens in regulation. Tavatanakit’s bunker play and scrambling ability showed noticeable difficulties throughout the week, contributing to her lower placement.
Implications for the World Rankings and Future Tournaments
The results from the 2025 AIG Women’s Open significantly reshaped the leaderboard and impacted players like Nelly Korda, whose fall outside the top 25 marks the end of her lengthy hold on the World No. 1 spot. The tournament‘s challenging conditions and course layout at Royal Porthcawl exposed vulnerabilities in even the most decorated players. As Miyu Yamashita claimed victory by two strokes, the performances this week underline the volatility and competitiveness of women’s golf at the highest level.
Moving forward, players who struggled here will likely use the experience to make adjustments ahead of upcoming events on the LPGA Tour. Meanwhile, the shifting rankings following this Major will generate fresh storylines and rivalries as the next season unfolds.
“The Olympian’s 71 weeks at the World No. 1 position have come to an end.” — source