Some of you are somehow affected by the "celebrity factor." Yes, we all know that Allison and Karen are the top 2 players of this era, but somehow we are forgetting the Allison didn't do well in the US Open, and some of you still think that that dismal showing shouldn't have affected her current ranking because she is truly the best.QUOTE]
Joe, I really don't think you are getting it.
Allison's poor showing at the US Open should effect her ranking. Now, how do you figure out how much it should effect her depends on what the ranking points are.
Allison is hurt more by the fact that when she finishes a tournament in 1st place...2nd, 3rd, 4th etc., are getting too many points and she (Allison) is not able to build an accurate lead. The fact that she finished last at the US Open is not the argument, that is just something that she has to deal with (I think she will be ok).
If you were setting up a Points Breakdown, how much would you give 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th.
Whatever point value you come up with, Allison will be #1 using 8 tournaments, 10, 16 or 20 torunaments.
A points race will give you the Year To Date leader (much different than a ranking list).
When you look at the men's Golf Fed Ex points race, no one is foolish enough to seriously claim #1 if they win the first week and Tiger doesn't.
Golf goes off of the World Golf Rankings..........Period. Tiger is still #1 and he hasn't played in 2 months...He also has more points this year (426) than 2nd place (253). The reason he has more points is that he has performed better than the rest and the points also reflect
accurately what #1's points should be, and what #2's points should be etc. (all the way down the list).
http://www.officialworldgolfranking.com/rankings/default.sps
If you look at Allison's performance AT ANY POINT IN TIME SINCE SHE HAS BEEN ON TOUR (including NOW) she is ranked #1, except when Karen was #1 in 2001 & 2002.
Right now the WPBA is giving 25-32 on the ranking list getting more than what 4th place gets in Golf. That is one reason why there is a problem, the other big problem, is that you need 16 tournaments or more (IMO), to have an accurate ranking list.
All of the top players have played in the last 16 events except Jasmin (9 of 10), and of course Iris Ranola and Yu Ram Cha just started playing on tour.
All of the players in the top 16 (using the WPBA points for the last 16 events) have gone to 100% of the events, execpt.
Kelly Fisher missed 2 events
Anna missed 1 event
Dawn missed 2 events
That means out of 256 times that the top 16 players could have played in an event, they filled that spot 251 times. That's over 98% show ratio. That alone should allow for a 2 year ranking list or more to be in effect without anyone complaining. I mean, they all played in ALL of the events!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The reason they all complained is that they couldn't get the #1 spot. Well, when Allison wins between 40% & 60% of all events she plays in OF COURSE SHE SHOULD BE RANKED #1.
A good money breakdown looks like the right place for any ranking list to start.
mike--