Harrington slips to 10th in World Rankings

Padraig Harrington's joint fifth finish in the Nissan Irish Open was not enough to see him hold his world ranking, slipping from ninth to 10th in the world.

Stephen Dodd’s second victory of the European tour season last night has sent him racing up the world rankings from 103rd to a best-ever 56th.

Already the China Open champion, the 38-year-old from Cardiff beat David Howell in a play-off at the Nissan Irish Open and could now qualify for next month’s US Open at this week’s BMW Championship at Wentworth.

Dodd either needs to climb into the top 50 or into the top two on the Order of Merit. He is fourth, but leading pair Retief Goosen and Ernie Els, the world number five and three respectively, are in the Wentworth line-up.

Colin Montgomerie has moved up only one spot to 53rd with his 28th place finish at the Carton House course he designed and returns to the West Course – a place where he has won three Volvo PGA titles and one World Match Play – also looking for a US Open place.

Howell, also beaten in a play-off by Thomas Bjorn at the British Masters eight days ago, is now a career-high 30th on the rankings, even though he has not won a title since the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic.

Vijay Singh is back as world number one. That became inevitable when he and Tiger Woods both took last week off.