Kerr reclaims No. 1 in Rolex Rankings
Rolex Rankings, other races continue to tighten with four events remaining on LPGA schedule
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 25, 2010 - Cristie Kerr (United States) reclaimed the No. 1 position in the world when the Rolex Rankings were released Monday, returning to the position she held for four previous weeks this season. Kerr bumped Japan's Ai Miyazato who held the No. 1 position for nine consecutive weeks.
The race to be crowned Rolex Rankings No. 1 has been hotly contested since the retirement of Lorena Ochoa (Mexico) earlier this season. Kerr, Miyazato and Jiyai Shin (Korea) have all enjoyed the view from the top. They lead an international group of players that also includes Yani Tseng (Taiwan) and Suzann Pettersen (Norway) as possible heirs to the throne at season's end.
"It's been so close the last four tournaments," Kerr said. "It came down to one putt in Alabama and last week I had a great finish, but just wasn't close enough. I've been thinking about this race all year. It's coming down to a putt here or there and it cannot get any closer."
Only 0.62 average points separates the current Rolex Rankings No. 1 Kerr from No. 5 Tseng. No. 6 Na Yeon Choi, who will defend her title at the LPGA Hana Bank Championship Presented by SK telecom this week, sits a little less than a full point behind Tseng.
| Rolex Rankings, Oct. 18, 2010 | |||
| Rank | Player | Country | Avg Points |
| 1 | Cristie Kerr | USA | 10.88 |
| 2 | Jiyai Shin | KOR | 10.76 |
| 3 | Ai Miyazato | JPN | 10.63 |
| 4 | Suzann Pettersen | NOR | 10.31 |
| 5 | Yani Tseng | TPE | 10.26 |
| 6 | Na Yeon Choi | KOR | 9.38 |
| 7 | Michelle Wie | USA | 8.06 |
| 8 | Song-Hee Kim | KOR | 7.29 |
| 9 | In-Kyung Kim | KOR | 7.14 |
| 10 | Paula Creamer | USA | 7.09 |
In addition to the battle for the top spot in the Rolex Rankings, the top-6 players in the world are also locked in races for the Rolex Player of the Year, LPGA Official Money List and Vare Trophy for low scoring average.
New Rolex Player of the Year to be crowned
Yani Tseng holds a narrow two-point lead over Ai Miyazato in the race to become the new Rolex Player of the Year. Kerr sits only eight points behind Miyazato and ten points behind Tseng. Tseng is attempting to become the first Taiwanese player in LPGA history to win Player of the Year honors. Miyazato is looking to become the first player from Japan to win the award since Ayako Okamoto in 1987, while Kerr is vying to become the first American Rolex Player of the Year since Beth Daniel in 1994.
| Player | Points | |
| Yani Tseng | 176 | |
| Ai Miyazato | 174 | |
| Cristie Kerr | 166 | |
| Na Yeon Choi | 134 | |
| Jiyai Shin | 133 | |
| Suzann Pettersen | 115 | |
| Song-Hee Kim | 93 | |
| In-Kyung Kim | 83 | |
| Katherine Hull | 66 | |
| Paula Creamer | 64 |
Kerr leads tight Vare Trophy race
American Cristie Kerr holds a slim 0.05 stroke lead over Na Yeon Choi in the race for the 2010 Vare Trophy for low scoring average. Eleven players currently boast scoring averages under 71, including seven of the top-8 on the Rolex Rankings.
| Player | Scoring Average |
|
| Cristie Kerr | 69.89 | |
| Na Yeon Choi | 69.94 | |
| Suzann Pettersen | 70.05 | |
| Song-Hee Kim | 70.14 | |
| Jiyai Shin | 70.17 | |
| Ai Miyazato | 70.47 | |
| Yani Tseng | 70.57 | |
| In-Kyung Kim | 70.65 | |
| Brittany Lincicome | 70.89 | |
| Morgan Pressel | 70.95 | |
| Inbee Park | 70.97 |
Shin looks for back-to-back money list titles
South Korean Jiyai Shin extended her lead this week in her quest for back-to-back LPGA money titles. Shin carded a tie for sixth in Malaysia - her 12th top-10 finish of the season. The 2009 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year became the first South Korean to top the LPGA Official Money List last year with a $1,807,334. To date this year, she is one of seven players to cross the $1 million mark in season earnings and currently holds a $50,950 advantage over Na Yeon Choi with four events remaining.
| Player | 2010 money |
|
| Jiyai Shin | $1,522,978 | |
| Na Yeon Choi | $1,472,028 | |
| Yani Tseng | $1,436,223 | |
| Cristie Kerr | $1,427,714 | |
| Ai Miyazato | $1,404,209 | |
| Suzann Pettersen | $1,342,376 | |
| Song-Hee Kim | $1,031,640 | |
| In-Kyung Kim | $862,150 | |
| Michelle Wie | $860,494 | |
| Inbee Park | $748,175 |
Topics: Press Release, Kerr, Cristie, Miyazato, Ai






















