Ames climbs again in international rankings

NEW YORK: Stephen Ames, the Trinidad and Tobago-born international golf star, made another significant rise up the world rankings this week, following his latest top-ten finish on the US PGA Tour. From an all-time best 58th last week, Ames is up to 52nd in the latest ratings released yesterday, a day after his seventh-place finish at the New Orleans Classic.

The New Orleans effort was a remarkable fifth top-ten finish in 12 tournaments this season for Ames. American Tiger Woods kept the number one position on the world list but Fiji’s in form Vijay Singh is closing the gap. Following his victory at the New Orleans Classic, second-ranked Singh has inched to within 2.14 points of Woods — the narrowest margin between the American and the second-ranked player since the standings were revamped in September 2001. Singh has won five times in his last 17 tour starts in the United States and has now taken over as the season’s PGA money leader with US$4.26 million.  Phil Mickelson (US$3.93M) and Stuart Appleby (US$2.09M) are next on the money list.

Ames, who collected US$158,950 for placing seventh in New Orleans, is now 17th on the money list — up from 23rd last week — with year-to-date earnings of US $1.19 million. Ames had placed a season’s best fourth at the Shell Houston Open last week and had other top-ten finishes at the Bay Hill Invitational (sixth), the MCI Heritage (seventh) and the Sony Open (eight).