Louis Oosthuizen dropped four spots in the latest Official World Golf Rankings after a disappointing showing at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
Oosthuizen will head to the year’s final Major – the PGA Championship – at Quail Hollow as the 27th best player in the world, after finishing in a share of 50th place and 22 shots behind winner Hideki Matsuyama.
Despite two birdies in his final four holes, Oosthuizen could only manage a three-over-par 73 on Sunday, six shots worse than his moving day tally.
The 34-year-old has just two top five finishes this year – at the Phoenix Open in February and at The Players in May – and heads to Charlotte, North Carolina, on the back of a missed cut in his last Major.
At the top of the standings, Matsuyama remains in third place behind Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth. Rory McIlroy remains in fifth, with Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, Jason Day and Henrik Stenson behind him. Alex Noren remains in ninth place, with Rickie Fowler – who shot 66 to finish alone in 9th place – moving back into the top 10 as he ousts US Open champion Brooks Koepka from the spot.
Charl Schwartzel remains the top-ranked South African in 22nd place – one down from last week, with Oosthuizen next and Branden Grace in 33rd, also down one place.
Richard Sterne is the only South African in the top 10 who has a green arrow next to his name, but he only jumped one place to 114 in the world.
Top 10 South African rankings:
Charl Schwartzel – 22
Louis Oosthuizen – 27
Branden Grace – 33
Dylan Frittelli – 85
Brandon Stone –97
Richard Sterne – 114
Dean Burmester – 135
Jaco Van Zyl – 141
George Coetzee – 147
Thomas Aiken – 185
