World Rankings: South African Louis Oosthuizen has pipped Davis Love for a place at The Masters next week by four-hundredths of a world ranking point.
Love went into the Arnold Palmer Invitational — the final counting event for the world’s top 50 to get to Augusta — lying 47th, but missing the cut cost him dear.
Dane Soren Kjeldsen won in Spain, Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng was second on home turf and both Australian Mathew Goggin and Oosthuizen went past him as well at Bay Hill.
Tiger Woods’ dramatic victory in his third event back from injury means that Phil Mickelson cannot now overtake him at this week’s Houston Open.
Woods, five behind Sean O’Hair with a round to go, sank a 16-foot putt on the final green in fading light to retain the title in thrilling fashion.
It makes him an even stronger favourite for next week when he will be trying for the 15th major of his career.
Marksaeng produced a remarkable performance of his own to earn a return trip to Augusta.
Down in 15th place entering the last round of the Black Mountain Masters in his home country he shot 64 and got the second place he needed.
Kjeldsen had already qualified for a Masters debut when he won the Andalucian Masters, a victory that takes him to a career-high 42nd in the rankings.
Latest leading positions:
1 Tiger Woods 10.09pts, 2 Phil Mickelson 8.51, 3 Sergio Garcia 7.40, 4 Geoff Ogilvy 6.28, 5 Padraig Harrington5.91, 6 Vijay Singh 5.63, 7 Robert Karlsson 4.90, 8 Camilo Villegas 4.87, 9 Kenny Perry 4.84, 10 Henrik Stenson 4.79, 11 Steve Stricker 4.38, 12 Paul Casey 4.30, 13 Anthony Kim 4.29, 14 Lee Westwood 4.16, 15 Jim Furyk 4.13, 16 Ernie Els 4.07, 17 Rory McIlroy3.99, 18 Stewart Cink 3.63, 19 Mike Weir 3.57, 20 Martin Kaymer 3.47
Other leading Europeans:
24 Justin Rose, 25 Alvaro Quiros, 31 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 32 Ross Fisher, 33 Luke Donald, 38 Ian Poulter, 39 Oliver Wilson, 42 Soren Kjeldsen, 44 Graeme McDowell, 55 Anders Hansen, 57 Peter Hanson, 58 Soren Hansen, 74 Francesco Molinari, 77 Carl Pettersson, 78 Darren Clarke, 82 Anthony Wall, 84 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 85 Alexander Noren, 91 Gareth Maybin, 97 Fredrik Jacobson
