Rolex Revises Women’s Rankings

Rolex has revised its ranking system for women’s golfers, eliminating the minimum number of events, but inceasing the divisor to 35, representing the average number of events that a professional could play over a two year period.

The result is that Michelle Wie will fall from second to seventh in the rankings. Karrie Webb replaces her in that spot.

The previous system had come under fire because it allowed Wie—not a member of any professional circuit, and not playing a full time schedule—to take the second spot. The fact that Rolex set the number at 15—and that 15 was the exact number of events Wie had played was just too coincidental.

The new system seems more fair because it reflects the standings of full time professionals, and doesn’t reward grandstanding part timers. The top four now will be Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, Lorena Ochoa and Paula Creamer.

There is no known connection of this move with the fact that Wie endorses Rolex rival Omega.

And while I’m camped on the grassy knoll, I find it interesting that the rankings will change for the week following the British Women’s Open.  If Wie had finished in first or second, and Annika had finished down in the pack, it was entirely possible that Michelle would end up in the number one spot. And I’m sure that the powers that be didn’t want that controversy.