The Best to Join the LPGA Since 2005, September 2014 Edition

It's time to welcome Austin Ernst to the top 50 of my ranking of the best to join the LPGA since 2005, which I last updated in mid-August, before the Wegmans LPGA Championship.  For the full rundown, check out my spreadsheet.  The first number in brackets following each active player's name and point total represents how many points they have gained or lost since my last ranking; the 2nd, how many they have gained or lost in 2014.

Simply the Best

1. Ya Ni Tseng (3702) [-45] [-222]

The Contenders

2. Ji-Yai Shin (3376)
3. Lydia Ko (3333) [-5] [n/a]
4. Stacy Lewis (3110) [-14] [+408]
5. Inbee Park (3090) [+227] [+365]
6. Na Yeon Choi (2705) [+17] [-119]
7. Paula Creamer (2678) [-17] [-17]
8. So Yeon Ryu (2606) [+221] [+142]

The Next Best

9. Lexi Thompson (2076) [-36] [+234]
10. Ai Miyazato (2075) [-23] [-143]
11. Michelle Wie (1906) [+/-0] [+549]

Quantum Leap Candidates

12. In-Kyung Kim (1701) [+14] [-58]
13. Anna Nordqvist (1688) [+18] [+241]
14. Shanshan Feng (1680) [-10] [+57]

15. Mirim Lee (1491) [-16] [n/a]

16. Brittany Lincicome (1474) [+35] [-13]

17. Morgan Pressel (1298) [-8] [-57]
18. Azahara Munoz (1278) [+41] [+97]
19. Amy Yang (1245) [-15] [+6]
20. Song-Hee Kim (1226)
21. Lizette Salas (11198) [-17] [+229]
T22. Seon Hwa Lee (1173) [+/-0] [-51]
T22. Jessica Korda (1173) [-23] [+311]

24. Hee Kyung Seo (1170) [+/-0] [-89]

25. Mika Miyazato (1121) [-21] [-106]
26. Angela Park (1114)
27. Hee Young Park (1065) [-10] [-123]
28. Beatriz Recari (1057) [-19] [-107]

29. Eun-Hee Ji (1046) [+2] [-1]

30. Sun Young Yoo (1013) [-9] [-52]

The Best of the Rest

31. Jee Young Lee (950) [-12] [-58]
32. Brittany Lang (896) [-7] [-41]
33. Chella Choi (882) [+22] [+100]
34. Meena Lee (872) [-2] [+21]
35. Caroline Hedwall (869) [-21] [-128]

36. Mo Martin (840) [+6] [~+436]
37. Julieta Granada (795) [+4] [+41]
38. Line Vedel (772) [+101] [n/a]
39. Momoko Ueda (765)
40. Jenny Shin (759) [-4] [+121]
41. Gerina Piller (740) [-1] [+48]

42. Sandra Gal (726) [-7] [-4]
43. Pornanong Phatlum (690) [+2] [+86]
44. Jennifer Johnson (681) [-11] [-7]
45. Ilhee Lee (638) [+7] [-88]
46. Austin Ernst (620) [n/a] [n/a]
47. Teresa Lu (606)
48. Jodi Ewart Shadoff (594) [-11] [-69]
49. Carlota Ciganda (582) [+18] [-186]
50. Ji Young Oh (575) [-7] [-37]

Ernst's victory caused her to bump Kristy McPherson out of the top 50.  Ernst is the 65th player from the Classes of 2005 and up whose careers I track in detail.  I hope to move backwards to include Lorena Ochoa and Suzann Pettersen, both in the Class of 2003, in my end-of-the-year ranking.