My first Top 30 ranking at SB Nation features the anticipated flip-flop of Players #2 and 3, the return of two regulars and the first sighting of a sophomore who just won for the first time.  Previous rankings are in parentheses.

#1  Lorena Ochoa (1)

Has a 146-point lead in the Rolex Player of the Year race.  With six events remaining (and double points available at ADT), Paula Creamer would have to win five times (or four times if the ADT was one of them) to catch her IF Lorena doesn't finish in the Top 10 any more and earn more points.  Yeah, it's over.

#2  Paula Creamer (3)

Took over the #2 spot when she won Samsung.  Currently riding an eight-round streak of post-round TV interviews (unsubstantiated by actual data).

#3  Annika Sorenstam (2)

Her website shows Annika as playing only two more LPGA events - China and ADT - but she's also in the Kapalua field and I'd be shocked if she doesn't play Mizuno (she's won there five times).

#4  Yani Tseng (4)

Now that I have the real scoop on the ROY criteria - Yani leads the race by 269 points and will win the award unless Na Yeon Choi wins two of the final six events.

#5  Cristie Kerr (5)

Followed up her Safeway win with three more Top 10s, one of them a playoff loss at Navistar.  She's enjoying her best stretch of play since the final four months of 2006.

#6  Na Yeon Choi (6)

Best finish over her last five events is T17.  Nobody immediately behind her has played well enough in that span to pass her, however.

#7  Suzann Pettersen (9)

Showing signs of a late-season push, albeit with less success than last year.  Defended her title with a disappointing T19 finish at Longs.

#8  Ji-Yai Shin (10)

Played at Samsung, her first LPGA event since winning the British Open and finished tied for eighth after leading at the end of Round One.  In an interview, Ji-Yai somewhat confirmed that she will be playing a full-time schedule in America next year.

#9  Seon Hwa Lee (7)

Missed cut at Longs capped an indifferent three-month stretch for Seon Hwa.

#10  Inbee Park (8)

Good news - at Samsung, Inbee collected her first Top 20 since Arkansas (July 4^th weekend) by finishing 19^th.  Bad news - there were only 20 players in the Samsung field.

#11  Eun-Hee Ji (12)

The next six players are all closely bunched together.  Ji tied for eighth at Samsung but otherwise hasn't done much since the T3 at the British.

#12  Jeong Jang (11)

Hanging in there nicely.  11^th at Samsung, T19 at Longs.

#13  Angela Stanford (NR)

Early this season, Angela was ranked #6.  Three months later, she was out of the Top 30.  Then she won the Bell Micro, finished T3 at Samsung and second at Longs.  I picked her 14^th in my pre-season rankings so I guess I had her pegged right all the way?!?

#14  Song-Hee Kim (15)

Back-to-back Top 5 finishes at Navistar and Samsung give Song-Hee six of those this year.  Only Ochoa (12) and Sorenstam (7) have more in 2008 (Creamer and Tseng also have six).

#15  Hee-Won Han (13)

Struggling of late - T54, T13 (out of 20 at Samsung) and T37.  She usually has a good showing in the Asian events so don't count her out just yet.

#16  Karrie Webb (14)

T20 at Navistar, 16^th out of 20 at Samsung.  I guarantee she's disappointed with her season so far.

#17  In-Kyung Kim (NR)

I always start writing this post a week in advance to have enough time to get all the comments done.  I had Inky listed as "Bubbling Under" prior to the victory at Longs.  She had already collected five Top 10s to along with a solid scoring average.  Kim's only negative is the five missed cuts, but she hasn't missed any since the LPGA Championship.  One of my pre-season picks which has actually turned out better than I expected.

#18  Karen Stupples (18)

T5 at Longs for her first Top 10 since Arkansas.

#19  Angela Park (16)

After vaulting halfway up the chart in August, Angela has finished T16. T29 and dead last since.

#20  Helen Alfredsson (17)

T17 out of 20 at Samsung and T57 at Longs.  Helen's resurgence seems to have stalled.

#21  Ji-Young Oh (20)

Played well at Navistar (T11) but missed the cut at Longs.

#22  Katherine Hull (28)

Skipped Longs after playing 11 consecutive events, dating back to the U.S. Open.  Still climbing thanks to recent finishes of T4, T11 and 7^th.

#23  Christina Kim (22)

T15 at Navistar for her first Top 20 since Evian but T43 at Bell Micro and T67 at Longs have been the norm for Christina lately.

#24  Jee Young Lee (21)

Missed the cut at Bell Micro and finished T22 at Navistar.  Jelly isn't the biggest disappointment on Tour this year (Se Ri Pak, Brittany Lincicome and Natalie Gulbis are the favorites for that distinction) but her results are far from what I expected.

#25  Maria Hjorth (26)

T28 at Bell Micro, T11 at Navistar and T23 at Longs.  Maria was tied for the lead after Round One at Longs but an 80 on Friday messed everything up.  All told, she's played about as well as I expected her to this year.

#26  Laura Diaz (19)

Ditto that last comment for Laura.  Of late she's been struggling - 33^rd at Bell Micro, MC at Navistar, T40 at Longs.

#27  Jane Park (23)

The dip in ranking for Jane over the last three months really surprised me.  She's gone seven straight events without a Top 10 and went T47, T20 and T53 in her last three.

#28  Candie Kung (NR)

Candie had been "Bubbling Under" the last FOUR times I've ranked the players!  She did miss the cut at Bell Micro and finished T23 at Longs but finally breaks through on the strength of her playoff loss at Navistar. 

#29  Juli Inkster (NR)

When Juli dropped out of the Top 30 in July, I was afraid she might be gone for good.  Never say never!  Finishes of T9 at Evian, T14 at the British, T32 in Canada, T3 at Samsung and T23 at Longs bring the Hall of Famer back.

#30  Mi Hyun Kim (30)

Still hanging on.  No, I'm not just leaving her here to keep alive her streak of placing in every Top 20 or 30 ranking I've ever done - she actually stands tied for 28^th in my advanced ranking system.  T22 at Navistar and withdrew during the second round of Longs (she opened with a 71).  When Kimmie's knee lets her play, she hasn't done too badly.

Dropped Out:  Sun Young Yoo (24), Stacy Prammanasudh (25), Stacy Lewis (27), Sophie Gustafson (29)

Bubbling Under:  Kristy McPherson