March 19, 2021 by Patrick Aubyrn in News, Rankings with 0 comments
Two runaway performances to start the 2021 campaign. First it was the Paige Pierce and Catrina Allen show at the Las Vegas Challenge, where the highest rated U.S. women nearly lapped the field. Nine women finished at even par or better in Vegas: 1. Pierce, 25-under-par, 2. Allen, 24-under par, 3-9. Jessica Weese, Ohn Scoggins, Hailey King, Kona Star Panis, Sarah Hokom, Rebecca Cox, and Missy Gannon, 27-under par collectively. Second it was Kona All-Star Panis crushing the competition at the Waco Annual Charity Open. Panis finished the tournament 12 strokes clear of second-place finisher Scoggins and established the new tournament record for best total score over three rounds.
Equally exciting is the jockeying in the top 10. Seven different players finished in the top 4 at the LVC and WACO, and only Scoggins managed the feat twice. On the whole, the field is tightening up as well. Only 10 strokes separated 10th & 20th places in Vegas; 12 strokes in Waco. Tour stalwarts Rebecca Cox and Jessica Weese are back in form, young guns like Hailey King, Heather Young, and Valerie Mandujano are being road-tested early, and exciting new players like Holyn Handley and Ella Hansen are making waves. Who makes the cut in our first regular season top 25?
Note: while COVID travel restrictions remain in place, this list considers players based in America. We will break out an international top 10 once the season gets underway across the pond.
Methodology: We combine an algorithmic objective ranking with subjective ballots submitted by UWDG staff. The algorithm uses a standardized scoring model to compare elite events, awards competition and cash bonuses, and features a decay function that gradually phases out past results. For the preseason ranking, staff and subscribers considered the following criteria: 1. the results from the most recent Elite Series events, the Jonesboro Open, the USDGC/WNC, and the DGPT Tour Championship, 2. the 2020 UWDG World Rankings, and 3. their super subjective vibes, gut feelings, and premonitions heading into the new season.
FPO Power Rankings:
| Rank | Player | Change | Prior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dropped from rankings: Jennifer Allen (14), Paige Shue (15), Christina Linthicum (22), Sarah DeMar (24), Alex Benson (25) | |||
| 1 | Paige Pierce | - | 1 |
| 2 | Kona Panis | +16 | 18 |
| 3 | Catrina Allen | - | 3 |
| 4 | Ohn Scoggins | +4 | 8 |
| 5 | Sarah Hokom | -1 | 4 |
| 6 | Missy Gannon | -1 | 5 |
| 7 | Hailey King | -5 | 2 |
| 8 | Valerie Mandujano | +2 | 10 |
| 9 | Jessica Weese | -2 | 7 |
| 10 | Lisa Fajkus | -1 | 9 |
| 11 | Rebecca Cox | +2 | 13 |
| 12 | Holly Finley | +5 | 17 |
| 13 | Madison Walker | - | |
| 14 | Ellen Widboom | -3 | 11 |
| 15 | Heather Young | -9 | 6 |
| 16 | Stephanie Vincent | - | |
| 17 | Macie Velediaz | +3 | 20 |
| 18 | Vanessa Van Dyken | -6 | 12 |
| 19 | Callie McMoran | -3 | 16 |
| 20 | Casey Pennington | - | |
| 21 | Alexis Mandujano | -2 | 19 |
| 22 | Emily Beach | +1 | 23 |
| 23 | Nicole Bradley | - | |
| 24 | Christine Jennings | -3 | 21 |
| 25 | Elaine King | - | |
Full breakdowns for each player continue below.
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