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South Korea golfer Sung Hyun Park jumps to No. 5 in rankings after U.S. Women's Open win

By The Sports Xchange
Rookie Sung Hyun Park of South Korea hits a tee shot on the 16th hole at Trump National Golf Club in the final round of the LPGA U.S. Women's Open Championship in Bedminster, NJ on July 14, 2017. Park wins her first major with a score of 11 under par. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Rookie Sung Hyun Park of South Korea hits a tee shot on the 16th hole at Trump National Golf Club in the final round of the LPGA U.S. Women's Open Championship in Bedminster, NJ on July 14, 2017. Park wins her first major with a score of 11 under par. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Sung Hyun Park of South Korea parlayed her victory at the U.S. Women's Open into a dramatic rise in the Rolex Women's Golf Rankings.

Park earned her first victory on the LPGA Tour with a final-round 67 for a two-stroke victory Sunday, vaulting her six spots to No. 5 in the latest rankings released on Monday.

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The 23-year-old Park is playing in her first year on the LPGA Tour after winning 10 times in her native country.

"To be honest with you, I still cannot believe this is happening," Park said through a translator following Sunday's win. "I almost feel like I'm floating on a cloud in the sky."

So Yeon Ryu of South Korea remained atop the rankings for the fourth consecutive week while Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, American Lexi Thompson and New Zealand's Lydia Ko held steady at Nos. 2-4, respectively.

In Gee Chun of South Korea and Shanshan Feng of China each dropped a spot after they were leapfrogged by Park while Canada's Brooke Henderson remained at No. 8 and Amy Yang was at No. 9.

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Inbee Park of South Korea dropped three slots to 10th while countrywoman Sei Young Kim, who cracked the top 10 last week, fell to 11th.

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