USA extends Global Cup lead at end of June, China into top ten

Brooks Koepka (USA) with the US Golf Open trophy, the first pro to win back-to-back US Open titles in 29 years

The reigning Global Cup champion, the USA, extended its lead at the top of the year-to-date ranking of the world’s best sporting nations after the month of June.

The USA’s share of points rose from 9.7% in May to 10.7%, after a month in which it performed strongly especially in Golf, Tennis and Water Polo.
Compared to June 2017, the mighty Stars & Stripes have a higher point share (it was then 8.8%) and a wider gap over the country in second place (3.2% vs 2.9%), so they seem already well on their way to another successful Global Cup year.
 
Winter queen Norway retained second place in the Global Cup – the same position it held a year ago - but didn’t add any points to its tally in June, its share dropping to 7.5%.
Behind Norway, the other top-ten nations held on to their May positions, with the exception of Italy, which lost two places, and Japan, which dropped into 11th place, ushering in a strongly rising China.
 
The Oriental giant finished second in the June table after winning the Diving World Cup, and is enjoying the year’s best streak so far, on the back of its victory of the May monthly ranking.
 
With 700 points scored so far, China still has a way to go to catch up with the other leading nations – Germany in third place has 1,079 points – though 2017’s runner-up France, which is having a quiet year so far, is close enough in 7th place with 726 points.
 
The USA is far ahead but, as usual, the race for the top positions behind the leader is very tight indeed, something to follow in the course of this busy sporting year on GSN.