Yin Ruoning during China LPGA's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Orient Masters in Xiamen, Fujian Province, September 4, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
China's Yin Ruoning
The 20-year-old Yin is the 18th different player to reach top spot and the fifth this year, a record.
She is the second Chinese mainland player to reach No 1 since the rankings began in 2006, joining Feng Shanshan (2017-18).
Yin is also the third player aged 20 or younger to hit No 1, joining Atthaya Thitikul (2022) and Lydia Ko (2015).
Yin had been expected to climb from No 2 to No 1 after her third-place finish at the Kroger Queen City Championship on Sunday.
Yin became a first-time winner on the LPGA Tour at the LA Open in March, then captured her first major title at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June.
