• World rankings

Donald closing in on Westwood

ESPN staff
May 9, 2011
KJ Choi shows off his Players Championship winner's trophy © Getty Images
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Britain's grip on the top of the world rankings tightened following the Players Championship, with Luke Donald rising one place to No. 2 in the standings behind fellow Englishman Lee Westwood.

Donald finished in a tie for fourth behind KJ Choi at Sawgrass and his reward is to cut into Westwood's lead after the world No. 1 opted to take the week off.

Graeme McDowell had a chance to propel himself up from his No. 5 ranking, but a closing round of 79 saw him slip out of contention.

McDowell's weekend flattened out, but the Ulsterman will take positives after a run of poor efforts.

"I feel better, a lot better," McDowell said. "Two weeks ago I was in pieces with my golf game, and I found it a little bit this week. Yeah, that last round was up there in my top 10 worst last rounds ever. So, you know, that's going to hurt a little bit, of course."

South Korean Choi held his nerve to beat David Toms in a play-off and he has seen his ranking rise to No. 15.

Darren Clarke ended a three-year drought with victory at the Iberdrola Open and he is now up to 88 in the world - having been at 124 the previous week.

World Rankings
1. Lee Westwood (ENG), 2. Luke Donald (ENG), 3. Martin Kaymer (GER), 4. Phil Mickelson, (USA), 5. Graeme McDowell, (NIR), 6. Rory McIlroy (NIR), 7. Steve Stricker (USA), 8. Tiger Woods (USA), 9. Paul Casey (ENG), 10. Matt Kuchar (USA), 11. Bubba Watson (USA), 12. Charl Schwartzel (RSA), 13. Dustin Johnson (USA), 14. Nick Watney (USA), 15. KJ Choi (Kor) 16. Jim Furyk (USA), 17. Ernie Els (RSA), 18. Hunter Mahan (USA), 19 Adam Scott (AUS), 20. Jason Day (USA).

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