Ames climbs up world rankings

NEW YORK: Trinidad and Tobago’s international golf star Stephen Ames climbed seven places to 76th in the world rankings this week after his place finish at The Players Championship in Florida on Sunday.

Ames, who was second at the 2002 Players Championship, carded a final round 70 for a five-under 283 total this year, 12 shots behind impressive American winner Davis Love III in the US$6.5 million dollar event. Tiger Woods remains a clear world number one over Ernie Els, while Love jumps four places up to number three on the world list after his rich success on Sunday. Woods is also on top of the 2003 earnings list with US$2.9 million, followed by Love at US$2.7 million and Els (US$2.6 million).

The 38-year-old Ames is 46th on the earnings list with US $430,272, on the back of his US$94,250 take on Sunday, together with his two finishes in the top-10 so far this year — eighth at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and at the Bay Hill Invitational.  In 1997, Ames created golfing history when he became the first player from the Caribbean to qualify for the US PGA Tour.  He has never won a PGA Tour event but boasts international victories from the 1989 Trinidad and Tobago Open, plus the 1994 Open V33 and the 1996 Benson and Hedges International Open tournaments in Europe.