McIlroy moves ahead of Woods in rankings

Rory McIlroy is up to a career-high sixth in the world – and ahead of Tiger Woods for the first time.

The pair swap places after a week when neither played. McIlroy is back in action on Thursday defending the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, but Woods misses the event through injury.

Big-hitting left-hander Bubba Watson broke into the top 10 by beating fellow American Webb Simpson in a play-off for the Zurich Classic in New Orleans.

Latest leading positions in the world golf rankings:

1 Lee Westwood 8.22pts, 2 Martin Kaymer 7.54, 3 Luke Donald 7.27, 4 Phil Mickelson 6.55, 5 Graeme McDowell 5.64, 6 Rory McIlroy 5.54, 7 Tiger Woods 5.53, 8 Paul Casey 5.49, 9 Steve Stricker 5.33, 10 Bubba Watson 5.24, 11 Matt Kuchar 5.23, 12 Charl Schwartzel 5.07, 13 Dustin Johnson 5.07, 14 Jim Furyk 4.78, 15 Nick Watney 4.60, 16 Ernie Els 4.34, 17 Adam Scott 4.21, 18 Ian Poulter 4.12, 19 Francesco Molinari 4.07, 20 Hunter Mahan 4.05.

Other leading Europeans:

21 Martin Laird, 22 Robert Karlsson, 23 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 26 Justin Rose, 27 Alvaro Quiros, 29 Edoardo Molinari, 33 Matteo Manassero, 42 Padraig Harrington, 45 Peter Hanson, 47 Ross Fisher, 48 Anders Hansen, 67 Thomas Bjorn, 72 Sergio Garcia, 73 Stephen Gallacher, 83 Raphael Jacquelin, 84 Simon Dyson, 86 Rhys Davies, 88 David Horsey, 91 Gregory Bourdy, 99 Danny Willett, 100 Brian Davis.