No. 1 Ranking Musical Chairs-Good for the Game?

[bangkokbobby]

Initially, I thought no it wasn't...I felt somebody needed to be the face of the LPGA...but maybe I've overlooked something...the PGA is on major networks and in the news far more than the LPGA...people talk about tournaments and results for the men often...having a Tiger Woods helps the PGA...even if Phil usurped the #1 spot, it would be good for the tour...

...but the LPGA's visibility is far less than the PGA and other sports...that's not an insight, we all know that...everybody knows that...so anything that keeps the LPGA in discussions in the media...it's probably good...

Randall Mell just posted this...

Battle for No. 1 - RANDALL MELL - Golf News & Articles | Golf Channel

Battle for No. 1

Posted: July 25, 2010
The fight for No. 1 is head-spinning stuff in women’s golf.

You wouldn’t know it, though, in Jiyai Shin’s unwavering and resolute march back to the game’s mountaintop just six weeks after she underwent emergency surgery for an appendicitis.

With no missteps in her thrilling victory Sunday at the Evian Masters, Shin assured that she will move back to No. 1 when the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are released Monday.

It will mark the fifth change at the top of the women’s rankings in the last 14 weeks.

That’s more lead changes than we’ve seen in the last decade in the men’s Official World Golf Ranking.

This is good theater for women’s golf, especially the dramatic way it’s playing out.

This isn’t like the men’s game, where it seems as if nobody wants to take the No. 1 ranking from Tiger Woods when Woods is offering it up on a platter.

The women are making hard, feisty charges up the game’s mountaintop.

Though Lorena Ochoa retired from women’s golf this past spring, she didn’t hand over the top ranking. Shin took it from her. Shin seized the top spot with her performance in Ochoa’s farewell tournament at the Tres Marias Championship early in May.

Ai Miyazato has taken two turns atop the women’s rankings this summer with her four victories this season. Cristie Kerr bumped Miyazato off the top with Kerr’s record 12-shot victory at the LPGA Championship.

It’s a wonderful summer show the women are giving us, one that makes you want to see more. They’re putting on the kind of show that begs for more than the 24 events we’re going to get to see this year, the kind of show that will make us miss the women when they take their next long furlough.

Though Paula Creamer didn’t move to No. 1 with her virtuoso performance winning the U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont two weeks ago, she looked like she’s intent on getting there.

The Evian Masters finish was edge-of-your seat theater.

With Shin walking to the 18th tee Sunday at Evian Masters Golf Club, 15-year-old Alexis Thompson was up ahead trying to make history. In a spirited finish, Thompson hit a wedge to 12 feet, then coolly drained the birdie putt to get to 13 under.

Thompson’s birdie created a four-way tie for the lead.

Shin and Morgan Pressel were in that logjam. So was Na Yeon Choi, who charged magnificently with birdies at four of the last five holes.

“I was watching the leaderboard all day, I was so nervous,” Shin told GolfChannel.com in a telephone conversation after. “My hands were shaking at the end.”

Shin didn’t betray any nervousness. She looked totally unaffected, burying a testy 6-foot putt for par at the 17th hole and then striping her final drive down the middle after Pressel nearly pulled her drive into the trees.

After Shin made her final birdie putt from 8 ½ feet, the drama only built. Pressel had a birdie chance to tie from 8 feet. She clipped the left side of the hole, leaving Shin the winner.

With a 5-under-par 67, Shin posted the only bogey-free round among the final five twosomes off in the final round.

Shin is just 22 years old, but she’s already won 32 times around the world as a professional.

Despite all the quality challenges from various players this summer, Shin looked more than worthy of that top ranking with her finish Sunday. If she hadn’t been raced to the hospital on the eve of the State Farm Classic six weeks ago, there’s no telling if she would have ever let go of that No. 1 ranking she took from Ochoa.

With Shin still recovering and out of action following her surgery on June 9, Miyazato won the Shoprite LPGA Classic on June 20, ending Shin’s seven week run at the top of the rankings.

“I think the time off after the surgery helped me,” Shin said by telephone. “After that, I enjoyed coming back. I felt happy playing.”

Just 10 days after her surgery, Shin was back hitting balls. Fourteen days later, she was teeing it up in the LPGA Championship. Her caddie, Dean Herden, said she couldn’t finish her swing without pain starting the first round of that major, but she ended up tying for third in her return.

“I knew we had a lot of big tournaments coming up,” Shin said. “I told myself, I have to recover quickly. It really made me focus.”

Shin heads to the Women’s British Open this coming week, the site of her first LPGA title and the most important triumph of her career.

“I go with a lot of confidence,” she said.

So do so many challengers eager to knock her off the mountaintop. It’s what is making the LPGA worth watching this summer.

[ajraymond]

That finish for the LPGA today was fantastic. I think at this stage of the LPGA it is better for a few players to get that name recognition in lights as the number one player in the world. We talked about that poll where no LPGA player was recognizable but maybe a story of 4-6 players duking it out for number one might perk interest in the tour. Maybe next up the beautiful athletic Norwegian can get that putter working and grab a piece of the pie. I actually think that putting all your eggs in one or two baskets is bad for any tour.

[bangkokbobby]

Originally Posted by ajraymond

That finish for the LPGA today was fantastic. I think at this stage of the LPGA it is better for a few players to get that name recognition in lights as the number one player in the world. We talked about that poll where no LPGA player was recognizable but maybe a story of 4-6 players duking it out for number one might perk interest in the tour. Maybe next up the beautiful athletic Norwegian can get that putter working and grab a piece of the pie. I actually think that putting all your eggs in one or two baskets is bad for any tour.

Suzann has all the tools to be #1, no doubt about it. And let's not count out Na Yeon Choi and Yani Tseng from making possible runs at the top spot.

BTW, over on the ss.com board, IceCat pointed out this error in Randall's article...

Though Lorena Ochoa retired from women’s golf this past spring, she didn’t hand over the top ranking. Shin took it from her. Shin seized the top spot with her performance in Ochoa’s farewell tournament at the Tres Marias Championship early in May.

...IceCat pointed out that actually, Ji Yai won a JLPGA event earlier that day and Lorena did not finish high enough at Tres Marias to retain the #1 ranking...Shin did not play in Ochoa's farewell tournament...

...good call, Kevin!

[ajraymond]

Originally Posted by bangkokbobby

Suzann has all the tools to be #1, no doubt about it. And let's not count out Na Yeon Choi and Yani Tseng from making possible runs at the top spot.

BTW, over on the ss.com board, IceCat pointed out this error in Randall's article...

Though Lorena Ochoa retired from women’s golf this past spring, she didn’t hand over the top ranking. Shin took it from her. Shin seized the top spot with her performance in Ochoa’s farewell tournament at the Tres Marias Championship early in May.

...IceCat pointed out that actually, Ji Yai won a JLPGA event earlier that day and Lorena did not finish high enough at Tres Marias to retain the #1 ranking...Shin did not play in Ochoa's farewell tournament...

...good call, Kevin!

I thought that was an excellent article from Randall Mell. I think the point Randall was trying to make is Shin was number one when Lorena retired. I see a lot of articles linking Lorena's retirement to Shins number one as if she inherited it. Maybe this time at number one that falsehood won't be attached to her ranking.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by ajraymond

That finish for the LPGA today was fantastic. I think at this stage of the LPGA it is better for a few players to get that name recognition in lights as the number one player in the world. We talked about that poll where no LPGA player was recognizable but maybe a story of 4-6 players duking it out for number one might perk interest in the tour. Maybe next up the beautiful athletic Norwegian can get that putter working and grab a piece of the pie. I actually think that putting all your eggs in one or two baskets is bad for any tour.

I agree with you and would also love to see Suzann in the number 1 player mix.

[Saint-Just X]

I think the rankings are something the avid golf fan will concern themselves with,but they are of little importance to the casual fan.

I could be wrong,of course.

I just don't see how having a different number one player every other week,or,conversely,having the same player be the number one for months on end,would have any bearing on potential interest/viewership in the tour.

If you look at the PGA tour,it seems that every time Phil Mickelson tees it up,the commentators and pundits remind us that with a win he could overtake Tiger Woods in the world ranking.The question is,does something like that resonate with a casual viewer of their product ?

Or,do people just want to watch a good golf tournament ?...

Pax Vobiscum
Saint-Just X

[LoJo]

Kerr is again NUMERO UNO!

LPGA.com

What a joke! This merry-go-round Rolex Ranking stuff is becoming stupid.

I'm sure some of the "stats" people on here will disagree, but most fans would like to think that the rankings are more concrete than some mathematical dicking around.

Question: "Who's the #1 female player in the world?"

Answer: "Dunno. Ask me next Monday."

[Putter]

I've given up with this Rolex ranking stuff - they don't play AT ALL and all of a sudden the #1 player changes? I'm sure the #1 player for any given week is happy that they're #1, but wouldn't you also be thinking in the back of your mind...."hmmm, wonder how I did that?"

[NTB]

Amen LOJO and Putter

[xman5]

Originally Posted by Putter

I've given up with this Rolex ranking stuff - they don't play AT ALL and all of a sudden the #1 player changes? I'm sure the #1 player for any given week is happy that they're #1, but wouldn't you also be thinking in the back of your mind...."hmmm, wonder how I did that?"

The problem is one of perception due to the fact that there are no tournaments happening week to week.

Obviously points from 52 weeks ago were now removed (even as small as those depreciated points were) and since they are so close at the top, Kerr lost less then #2. That accounts for the change, but since there was no tournament last week it looks odd that the rankings change. If there had been a tournament we would have thought nothing of the change.