Top 70 - April 2010

Another three-week break in the official schedule has prompted me to post my second Top 70 update of the year, even though only four events have been played.  2010 results count for only 20% of the rating.  The third column lists the player's rating in March.  Notes on the new rankings follow the jump.

No change among the top four.  Tseng's Kraft Nabisco win moves her up only one spot because Shin, Miyazato, Kerr and Pettersen have played so well and because Ochoa is still getting great mileage out of being #1 last season.  Based purely on 2010 numbers, Yani would rank #1 just ahead of Miyazato, Pettersen and Song-Hee Kim.

The biggest moves up this month were by Inbee Park (+18 thanks to her runner-up at the Kia Classic and T10 at KNC), Karen Stupples (enters at #53 with a T17 and T5), Shanshan Feng (enters at #58 with a T6 at Kia) and Candie Kung (+10 with a T3 at Kia).  There wasn't anybody who dropped nearly so much as that, but Natalie Gulbis fell four spots by missing two cuts, Nicole Castrale slipped out of the rankings by doing the same and Meena Lee dropped five positions with an MC and a T56.

In case you're wondering about Kia Classic champion (and LPGA non-member) Hee Kyung Seo, I have tentatively included her in my formula and she currently ranks at #84.  If she continues to play LPGA events, I'll keep track of her stats myself and leave her in.  Thanks to her victory and high Rolex ranking, she should be eligible to play Sybase, the U.S. and British Opens and Evian at least.  If she doesn't play at least 5-6 events total, I'll have to make a decision about whether she merits being included.