Appleby takes big stride up rankings

IT’S ironic that after all the predictions of a sub-60 round at the 3 Irish Open, the feat was achieved at the weekend – but not in Killarney.

Ross Fisher, eventual champion in Kerry, went close with a 61 on Friday but nobody could reach the magic number. However, Australian Stuart Appleby shot 59 in the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia on the US PGA Tour over a 7,020 yards, par 70 course. Appleby shot 66, 68, 65 and 59 to finish 22 under par.

The weekend activity had a huge bearing on the new world rankings. Appleby made the biggest move, improving from 159th to 94th and securing a place in this week’s WGC-Bridgestone Championship in Akron, Ohio, followed by the US PGA Championship in Wisconsin.