Golf:South African Tim Clark climbed 20 places in the latest world rankings to 20th after yesterday's win at the Players Championship at Sawgrass in Florida.
It was Clark’s first PGA Tour win after 12 seasons. Five birdies in a six-hole stretch in the middle of his round gave him victory (and the €1.26million winner’s cheque) in golf’s richest event. He defeated Australia’s Robert Allenby by one stroke after a closing 67.
Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed withstood a charge from England’s David Horsey on a tense final day in Turin to win the Italian Open and claim his first European Tour title at the 245th attempt.
Andersson Hed took a commanding six stroke advantage into the final round after a stunning third round 63 and his final round of 73 was enough for a two stroke victory and a jump of 125 places to 152nd in the latest standings.
This week's other winners were Sam Walker, who won the Challenge Tour event in France, and Kim Dae-hyun at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on the OneAsia Tour.
Rory McIlroy remains inside the top 10 at ninth despite missing the cut at Sawgrass, while Pádraig Harrington dropped one place to 13th after he too had the weekend off. Graeme McDowell tied 26th on five under at Sawgrass but dropped to 51st in the world.
World rankings
(US unless stated, last week's positions in brackets):
1. (1) Tiger Woods 10.98 average points
2. (2) Phil Mickelson 9.67
3. (3) Steve Stricker 7.82
4. (4) Lee Westwood (England) 7.66
5. (5) Jim Furyk 7.02
6. (6) Ian Poulter (England) 6.10
7. (7) Ernie Els (South Africa) 5.85
8. (8) Paul Casey (Britain) 5.78
9. (9) Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 5.35
10. (11) Anthony Kim 5.14
11. (10) Martin Kaymer (Germany) 4.99
12. (16) Robert Allenby (Australia) 4.85
13. (12) Pádraig Harrington (Ireland) 4.47
14. (13) Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 4.41
15. (14) Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 4.17
16. (15) Retief Goosen (South Africa) 4.15
17. (17) Hunter Mahan 4.08
18. (19) Luke Donald (England) 4.03
19. (18) Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 3.91
20. (40) Tim Clark (South Africa) 3.86
European Ryder Cup points standings
World points list:
1. Lee Westwood (England) 298.70 points
2. Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 212.60
3. Ian Poulter (England) 204.20
4. Pádraig Harrington (Ireland) 152.22
5. Martin Kaymer (Germany) 135.60
6. Edoardo Molinari (Italy) 131.71
7. Luke Donald (England) 112.54
8. Alvaro Quiros (Spain) 107.11
9. Paul Casey (England) 106.15
10. Francesco Molinari (Italy) 104.53
European points list:
1. Westwood 2,642,626.27 points
2. Poulter 2,137,556.02
3. McIlroy 1,442,189.47
4. Ross McGowan (England) 1,265,665.05
5. Kaymer 1,117,045.37
6. Quiros 1,008,052.78
7. Simon Dyson (England) 993,999.05
8. Casey 938,325.70
9. F.Molinari 894,362.18
10. Oliver Wilson (England) 866,721.34
(Top four on world points list qualify for team, plus top five on European points list not otherwise qualified from world points list. Captain Colin Montgomerie will also select three players for his 12-man team
Team as it stands:Westwood, McIlroy, Poulter, Harrington, McGowan, Kaymer, Quiros, Dyson, Casey (plus three players of Montgomerie's choice)
US Ryder Cup points standings
1. Phil Mickelson 4,901.249 points
2. Anthony Kim 3,238.309
3. Jim Furyk 2,875.782
4. Lucas Glover 2,836.809
5. Hunter Mahan 2,493.010
6. Steve Stricker 2,416.807
7. Dustin Johnson 2,185.865
8. Matt Kuchar 1,978.688
9. Stewart Cink 1,959.067
10. Tiger Woods 1,946.163
11. Ben Crane 1,803.539
12. Nick Watney 1,655.240
13. Jason Bohn 1,567.366
14. Ricky Barnes 1,552.177
15. Bill Haas 1,521.581
(Top eight on the list qualify. Captain Corey Pavin will also select four players for his 12-man team)