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

It's about time I welcomed Mo Martin, Mirim Lee, and Line Vedel to the top 50 of my ranking of the best to join the LPGA since 2005, which I last updated in early July, before the Women's British Open.  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 (3747) [-12] [-177]

The Contenders

2. Ji-Yai Shin (3376)
3. Lydia Ko (3338) [+192] [n/a]
4. Stacy Lewis (3124) [-34] [+422]
5. Inbee Park (2863) [+36] [+138]
6. Paula Creamer (2695) [-22] [+/-0]

7. Na Yeon Choi (2688) [-36] [-136]

The Next Best

8. So Yeon Ryu (2385) [+39] [-79]
9. Lexi Thompson (2112) [-73] [+270]
10. Ai Miyazato (2098) [-19] [-120]
11. Michelle Wie (1906) [-20] [+549]

Quantum Leap Candidates

12. Shanshan Feng (1690) [+55] [+67]
13. In-Kyung Kim (1687) [-7] [-72]
14. Anna Nordqvist (1670) [-8] [+223]

15. Mirim Lee (1507) [n/a] [n/a]

16. Brittany Lincicome (1439) [-10] [-48]

17. Morgan Pressel (1306) [-11] [-49]
18. Amy Yang (1260) [+6] [+21]
19. Azahara Munoz (1237) [-8] [+56]
20. Song-Hee Kim (1226)
21. Lizette Salas (1215) [+/-0] [+246]
22. Jessica Korda (1196) [+26] [+334]

23. Seon Hwa Lee (1173) [+/-0] [-51]
24. Hee Kyung Seo (1170) [+/-0][-89]

25. Mika Miyazato (1142) [-6] [-85]
26. Angela Park (1114)
27. Beatriz Recari (1076) [+4] [-88]
28. Hee Young Park (1075) [-10] [-113]

29. Eun-Hee Ji (1044) [+12] [-3]

30. Sun Young Yoo (1022) [-6] [-43]

The Best of the Rest

31. Jee Young Lee (962) [-7] [-46]
32. Brittany Lang (903) [-6] [-34]
33. Caroline Hedwall (890) [-23] [-107]

34. Meena Lee (874) [-5] [+23]

35. Chella Choi (860) [-14] [+78]
36. Mo Martin (834) [n/a] [~+430]
37. Julieta Granada (791) [+21] [+37]
38. Momoko Ueda (765)
39. Jenny Shin (763) [-7] [+125]
40. Gerina Piller (741) [-12] [+49]

41. Sandra Gal (733) [+8] [+3]
42. Jennifer Johnson (692) [-12] [+4]
43. Pornanong Phatlum (688) [-6] [+84]
44. Line Vedel (671) [n/a] [n/a]
45. Ilhee Lee (631) [-11] [-95]
46. Teresa Lu (613)
47. Jodi Ewart Shadoff (605) [-19] [-58]
48. Ji Young Oh (582) [-7] [-30]
49. Kristy McPherson (568) [-8] [-36]
50. Carlota Ciganda (564) [+/-0] [-204]

The newbies bumped Mi Jung Hur, Haeji Kang, and Caroline Masson out of the top 50.  With Harukyo Nomura and Thidapa Suwannapura also joining my overall ranking, I now track 64 players' careers 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.