Golf:American Gary Woodland, who began the year 591st in the world rankings, is up to 53rd after his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Transitions Championship last night. Third-round leader Justin Rose could only manage a 74 to drop off the pace.
Rose took a one-shot advantage into the final round and was tied for the lead until four straight bogeys from the seventh hole dropped him back. The Englishman, seeking his third PGA Tour title in under a year, finished five shots behind Woodland, whose four-under-par final-round 67 moved him to 15 under overall and booked him a place at next month’s US Masters.
He finished a stroke ahead of Webb Simpson (69), three clear of Tour rookie Scott Stallings (70) and four in front of Brandt Snedeker (70).
Rose had to settle for a share of fifth spot along with Scotland’s Martin Laird (70), Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge (73) and American trio Roland Thatcher (70), Chris Couch (71) and Marc Turnesa (66).
Woodland had an eventful back nine, picking up a shot at 10 and dropping one at 11 before surging into the lead with three straight birdies. It looked like the nerves may be getting to him when he posted two successive bogeys, but eagled the par-three 17th and then holed a 10-foot putt for par on 18.
Simpson then missed a 20-foot putt on the last hole and had to settle for second spot.
Sergio Garcia, playing his first PGA Tour event in seven months, signed for a 71 to finish eight shots off the pace in a tie for 15th, with world number one Martin Kaymer of Germany firing a 69 to finish a further shot back in joint 20th.
Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, meanwhile, moves from 116th to 84th following his Sicilian Open win this morning.
Latest world rankings
1 Martin Kaymer 7.98pts, 2 Lee Westwood 7.69, 3 Luke Donald 6.63, 4 Graeme McDowell6.28, 5 Tiger Woods 5.94, 6 Phil Mickelson 5.88, 7 Paul Casey 5.73, 8 Rory McIlroy5.53, 9 Matt Kuchar 5.40, 10 Steve Stricker 5.36 11 Dustin Johnson 5.16, 12 Jim Furyk 4.98, 13 Ernie Els 4.81, 14 Nick Watney 4.61, 15 Ian Poulter 4.47, 16 Francesco Molinari 4.46, 17 Bubba Watson 4.34, 18 Retief Goosen 4.23, 19 Hunter Mahan 4.21, 20 Robert Karlsson 4.13
Other leading Europeans
21 Alvaro Quiros, 23 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 25 Edoardo Molinari, 29 Justin Rose, 35 Padraig Harrington, 36 Peter Hanson, 40 Martin Laird, 42 Ross Fisher, 43 Anders Hansen, 55 Matteo Manassero, 64 Thomas Bjorn, 76 Stephen Gallacher, 78 Simon Dyson, 79 Henrik Stenson, 82 Sergio Garcia, 84 Raphael Jacquelin, 87 Fredrik Andersson Hed, 91 Rhys Davies, 96 Danny Willett, 97 Brian Davis, 99 Carl Pettersson
