Gary Woodland’s first win since 2013 helped him move up 27 places in the official world rankings and past South Africans Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen.
READ: Woodland returns to winner’s circle
Three birdies in his final four holes was just what Woodland needed as he made an emotional return to the winner’s circle, after fending off Chez Reavie at the first playoff hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Woodland moved into 26th, one ahead of Ross Fisher with Grace and Oosthuizen following thereafter. Neither of SA’s top-ranked players were in action this week as they prepare for their run-in to The Masters in April.
WATCH: Sharma cruises past Maybank field
Charl Schwartzel, a player who always produces his best at Augusta, dropped down two places to 40th and now just seven ahead of Dylan Frittelli, who missed a golden opportunity to gain vital world ranking points after failing to win in Malaysia.
Frittelli started the final round at the top of the leaderboard but endured a slow Sunday before missing an up-and-down on the last to finish in solo fifth. The top five result did consolidate his place in the top 50 with the countdown towards The Masters now in full effect.
Sunday’s winner in Malaysia, India’s Shubhankar Sharma, was the big mover this week as he climbed 121 places to 72nd in the world after adding the Maybank Championship to his Joburg Open title from November 2017.
Top 10 South African rankings:
28. Branden Grace
29. Louis Oosthuizen
40. Charl Schwartzel
47. Dylan Frittelli
106. Shaun Norris
139. Erik Van Rooyen
140. Richard Sterne
142. Dean Burmester
147. George Coetzee
172. Haydn Porteous
