There were more significant gains for Garrick Higgo in the Official World Golf Rankings after winning the Canary Islands Championship this past Sunday. He starts the new week as the 51st-ranked golfer in the world.
Higgo’s rise up the rankings received another big boost over the weekend by securing a six-shot victory in Tenerife for a second European Tour triumph in three weeks.
The 21-year-old became the fastest South African golfer to three victories on Tour and booked his spot for next week’s PGA Championship in the process.
Higgo also received €234,070 (R4,002,882.92) for his victory in prize money, while he moved up 15 places – from 66th to 51st in the OWGR.
WATCH: ‘Tired’ Higgo elated with Spanish success
READ: Higgo makes it three in a row for SA in Spain
WATCH: Higgo makes stunning ace at Canary Islands
There is also a welcomed return for Dean Burmester to the top 100 in the rankings as he moved to 93rd after a T4 finish at the Canary Islands Championship.
The South African won the Tenerife Open at the Golf Costa Adeje last week as well, and will also line up at the PGA Championship as a result.
Burmester’s entry means there will be a total of 10 South Africans in the top 100 of the OWGR this week.
Louis Oosthuizen (32nd) is still the highest-placed SA player, while Christiaan Bezuidenhout remains in 40th spot.
Erik van Rooyen starts the new week as the 75th best player in the world, with Daniel van Tonder 77th and Dylan Frittelli 79th.
Compleat Golfer playing editor Brandon Stone dropped one spot from 84th to 85th with Branden Grace keeping his spot at 91st. George Coetzee occupies the 98th position in the rankings.
There was also big movement for Wilco Nienaber, who won his first professional event at the Dimension Data Pro-Am in George this past weekend.
Nienaber bagged R1 million for his efforts and jumped from 178th to 131st in the OWGR.
