Yeah I know - only two events have been played since the July rankings but this long break between tournaments was tailor-made for updates of this sort.  2009 stats now make up 85% of the ranking.  As usual, the rookies are in bold and the player's previous ranking is in parentheses.  Comments follow the jump.

Cristie Kerr and Jiyai Shin are virtually tied for second, about three system points behind Lorena Ochoa.  Using the current numbers and giving 2009 a 90% weight (one more event), Kerr would pass Ochoa while Shin would move to within one point of Lorena.  The money list standings is where Ochoa loses ground to her pursuers (8^th as opposed to 1-2) so she probably needs the cash from a Top 5 finish at Safeway or her reign at the top will be over.

Catriona Matthew vaults into the Top 20, albeit with only three LPGA starts on the year.  I decided against subjectively lowering her since she came in just ahead of Anna Nordqvist (each with major victories although Anna has made 10 starts with no MCs).  I'll stick with the logic I've used in similar circumstances before - if Matthew maintains a good level of play over the rest of the season, she'll validate her position in my Top 20.  If she doesn't, she'll fall out.

Nordqvist and Brittany Lincicome continue to rise as 2009 stats increase in importance but the influence from their major victories is about to peak.  Anna needs to collect another Top 10 or two and Brittany needs to stop missing cuts if they hope to continue their respective climbs.

Seon Hwa Lee began her rookie season in 2006 with finishes of T13, second and tied for second.  When I published my first Top 20 ranking in July of that year, she clocked in at #7 and has spent the majority of the last three years in my Top 10.  She's down to #22 now and dealing with the first real difficult stretch of her career.  I've said more than once that Seon Hwa always seems to win when you least expect it - maybe I should pick her to win Safeway.

Just two events ago Hee-Won Han was continuing a long, slow slide out of my Top 30.  Han is one of the six remaining players to be ranked in my Top 30 (originally 20) every time since I started blogging.  (The others are Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Karrie Webb and Seon Hwa Lee.)  Han's tie for third in the British Open gave her a nice boost but she still needs a couple more good finishes to stay in that group the rest of the year.

Six rookies are now in the Top 45.  That rookie class update I've been needing to do will be out in the next few days.