2010 Priority Notes

I promised to post my two cents on the recently-released Priority Status list, so here it is finally.  The Constructivist covered the topic very well just after the list was issued so I'll just tack on to his observations:

Aree Song received a medical extension for the second straight year.  She was 88^th on the money list in 2007, which at the time was good enough to put her in Category 1 (Top 90 was changed to Top 80 when the Priority process was started in ‘08).  She made only two starts in '08 and eleven in '09.

Meg Mallon exercised her one-time-only option to enter Cat-2 (Career Top 20) so that buys her two more seasons of good priority.  Lori Kane and Liselotte Neumann used that option prior to last season so they have only one more year left.  If they don't improve their performances significantly in 2010, you may see them in Q-School this fall or not at all in 2011.

This one is for you folks who hold out hope that Annika Sorenstam will return to action at some future date.  She is in Category 3 and will remain there through the 2011 season due to her 2006 U.S. Open victory.  After that, her position atop the Career Money List buys her many more years where she could exercise her one-time option and return as a Cat-2 player.  Do I think she would ever do this?  Doubtful.

Hilary Lunke is the last player listed in Cat-3 (Major Winner) even though her U.S. Open win came in 2003 and despite not having filled the requirement of making ten starts over the last two years (five in '08, zero in '09).  Obviously she was granted her second straight medical extension.  Grace Park's 2004 Kraft Nabisco exemption would have expired at the end of 2009 if not for her extension.

I doubt that the twelve-position difference will have too much effect on her eligibility but I was surprised that Mi Hyun Kim didn't apply for an extension.  She certainly would have received one as her ten starts in '09 were fewer than Aree Song's eleven.  Hopefully Kim won't get shut out of any limited-field events (especially the Asian ones) because of that difference.

Of the three players in Cat-6 (One Win), Silvia Cavalleri is the only one who must earn 2011 status on this season's merits as her 2007 Corona win will expire at the end of this season.