Golf:Steve Stricker moved to a career high of number two in the world after last night's victory at the Deutsche Bank Championship TPC Boston where he fended off challenges from the likes of Pádraig Harrington.
The win also took the 42-year-old to the top of the FedEx Cup play-off standings ahead of Tiger Woods and moved him above Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey on the world standings.
Stricker birdied the final two holes to finish on 17-under-par denying Jason Dufner and Scott Verplank who were both in the clubhouse on 16-under-par. Harrington closed the week out with a final round 68 to be tied fourth alongside Masters champion Angel Cabrera and Dustin Johnson.
The Dubliner remains the highest ranked Irish player and inside the top 10 at ninth place. Harrington’s finish also puts him third on the Ryder Cup table. Events on both sides of the Atlantic count towards the team, with the first four automatic positions decided by world ranking points earned. Captain Colin Montgomerie adds three wild cards.
Rory McIlroy is next of the Irish in 24th after his tied seventh finish behind winner Alexander Noren in the European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland.
Noren, who has Irish Timescolumnist Colin Byrne on his bag these days, claimed his maiden European Tour title after converting his 54-hole lead into a two shot victory over Bradley Dredge.
The young Swede got off to a fast start on Sunday and quickly pulled away before Dredge came charging back round the turn to tie with the overnight leader through 14 holes.
Noren then struck the crucial blow when he holed for eagle from a greenside bunker on 15 and followed up with three solid pars to finish two in front of the chasing Welshman. The promising Swede leads the European Ryder Cup race after the first counting event plus he climbed 59 places up to 71st in the world rankings..
Meanwhile, the fifth Japan Tour victory for 17-year-old sensation Ryo Ishikawa moved him into the world top 50 for the first time at 47th.
Ishikawa shot a final round 70 to claim victory and round off a dominating performance at the Fujisankei Classic. He led by two heading into the final round, but with his nearest competitors unable to mount a serious challenge he ended up triumphing by five over Daisuke Maruyama.
The win is Ishikawa’s third of the season and the fourth of his career on the Japan Golf Tour and is the youngest player ever to break into the world’s top 50.
Latest World Rankings:
1 Tiger Woods 14.53pts
2 Steve Stricker 7.99
3 Phil Mickelson 7.61
4 Paul Casey 6.58
5 Kenny Perry 6.06
6 Henrik Stenson 6.00
7 Sergio Garcia 5.68
8 Geoff Ogilvy 5.59
9 Pádraig Harrington 5.55
10 Lee Westwood 5.14
11 Stewart Cink 5.09
12 Jim Furyk 4.99
13 Martin Kaymer 4.91
14 Vijay Singh 4.62
15 Lucas Glover 4.47
16 Camilo Villegas 4.28
17 Anthony Kim 4.18
18 Retief Goosen 4.17
19 Sean O'Hair 4.17
20 Robert Karlsson 4.07
Selected others:
24 Rory McIlroy
46 Graeme McDowell
113 Darren Clarke
131 Gareth Maybin
149 Peter Lawrie
157 Damien McGrane
172 Shane Lowry
215 Paul McGinley
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