Chris Baldwin - Latest Comments on Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Joe Cool [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Joe Cool [Visitor] — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 17:54:20 +0000

The LPGA is now pushing "Miss Personality" Morgan Pressel...barffff!

Norman [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Norman [Visitor] — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 15:15:28 +0000

Alex said:
Of course, Bubbles should be Number One, but those pesky 70+ wins by Annika keep getting in the way.
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Actually, most of them wins mean nothing in ranking terms. Only wins in the last 2 years make a difference, as do any performances in those last 2 years with particular emphasis on more recent tournaments.

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Alex said:
However, word has been leaked from the Rolex camp that all Bubbles needs to take over the top spot is to finish ahead of Annika this week. If that happens, even a win by Lorena, Paula, Se Ri, or Karrie will not get any of them the top spot which will be the exclusive niche for the Lanky One.
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Karrie has recently started playing very well, but rankings are done over a 2 year period. That is why she is ranked behind Michelle.
As for Lorena, she has had lots of high finishes and a couple of wins, but Michelle's average results are just better.

Norman [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Norman [Visitor] — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 15:09:02 +0000

Alex said:
On another thread, Jim Coulthard is adamant in his opinion that Bubbles is Number Two in the world according to the venerable Rolex exit poll, or rather, rankings.
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Yes, she is number 2, as calculated by the rankings, which are a fair system.

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Alex said:
Insiders know that the Rolex committee has dropped consideration of such outdated things as victories in compiling their rankings. Just because Karrie and Lorena have a few recent victories and several seconds doesn't mean they should be ranked ahead of Bubbles.
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Actually Alex victories do count, but other placings count also. Here is a typical example of the way the rankings go:
1 24.00
2 14.40
3 9.60
4 7.20
5 5.76
6 4.80
7 4.32
8 3.84
9 3.60
10 3.36
11 3.12
12 2.88
13 2.64
14 2.40
15 2.28
16 2.16
17 2.04
18 1.92
19 1.80
20 1.68

As you should be able to tell, Alex, a win is great for someones ranking.
However other high finishes like top 5s mean alot too.
Lots of finishes of about 20th place do very little.
Michelle has lots of top 5's and that is why her ranking is so good.

Take the example of Padraig Harrington. He has been playing well all season, he has lots of finishes from 15th to 30th, but his ranking has been falling. In his last 4 events, he has had a 2nd place, and 2 fith places, and his ranking has jumped about 10 spots.

That is the value of high finishes Alex. Hope you enjoyed the lesson.

John [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

John [Visitor] — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 06:43:18 +0000

Alex states:Like the fact that she has never qualified for any medal play on any tour, relying solely on exemptions from fawning sponsors.
but...On May 16, Wie finished first in a local qualifier for the men's U.S. Open. According to officials with the sponsoring United States Golf Association, Wie is the first woman to be a medalist in a local qualifier for the men's U.S. Open. Three weeks later, at the sectional qualifier, Wie finished 59th and did not advance. Yes she did not advance, but she did earn her way and if she had played in the local qualifier in Hawaii, she probably would have gone to Wingfoot.

Howard [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Howard [Visitor] — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 22:01:02 +0000

Alex, now you're letting facts get in the way.

Alex [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Alex [Visitor] — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 19:24:07 +0000

Howard, I am sure that you noticed how Mike S left some pertinent facts out of his convoluted stats. Like the 14 year old high school freshman who qualified for the Open while Bubbles did not. Like the fact that she has never qualified for any medal play on any tour, relying solely on exemptions from fawning sponsors.

Howard [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Howard [Visitor] — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:51:03 +0000

Mike S and Ian McDonald
Nice stats. With your view of things since the Saints beat Carolina by 3, and Carolina beat New England by 10 and New england beat Pittsburgh by 3 then the Saints are better than the Steelers and should be Super Bowl Champs.

Alex [Visitor] in response to: Where to play in Newport when not stalking Michelle Wie at U.S. Women's Open

Alex [Visitor] — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:45:26 +0000

Judge Smails, I assume that you didn't get the memo. To paraphrase the old EF Hutton ad, "When Jim COULTHARD talks, Wie Warriors listen." On another thread, he is adamant in his opinion that Bubbles is Number Two in the world according to the venerable Rolex exit poll, or rather, rankings. This pronouncement, according to Jim C, is not to be questioned by the unenlightened. Similar to when no Soviet citizen would dare question Comrade Stalin's edict that all inventions from the printing press to the ICBM were the result of communist ingenuity. Insiders know that the Rolex committee has dropped consideration of such outdated things as victories in compiling their rankings. Just because Karrie and Lorena have a few recent victories and several seconds doesn't mean they should be ranked ahead of Bubbles. Now Rolex has adopted new and better criteria such as length of dangling earrings, number of sparkly watches, size and whiteness of capped teeth, and conspicuous consumption encouraged by doting stage fathers. Of course, Bubbles should be Number One, but those pesky 70+ wins by Annika keep getting in the way. However, word has been leaked from the Rolex camp that all Bubbles needs to take over the top spot is to finish ahead of Annika this week. If that happens, even a win by Lorena, Paula, Se Ri, or Karrie will not get any of them the top spot which will be the exclusive niche for the Lanky One.