Day, McIlroy back in world’s top 10

Former world No.1s Jason Day and Rory McIlroy returned to the top 10 in the world rankings yesterday, after the Australian's victory at Torrey Pines and McIlroy's second-placed finish in Dubai.

The 30-year-old Day jumped up four places to 10th after edging out Alex Noren in a play-off at the Farmers Insurance Open on Tuesday, after darkness had brought an early halt the previous day, to claim his first title since the 2016 Players Championship.

Four-time Major winner McIlroy slipped out of the top 10 last year after failing to win in a season for the first time since 2008, but he moved up three spots to eighth despite losing out in a thrilling back-nine battle with Chinese youngster Li Haotong at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Li's victory at the weekend saw him become the first Chinese man to ever break the world's top 50, with a rise of 28 places to 32nd.

Spaniard Jon Rahm closed the gap on world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, despite falling out of contention at Torrey Pines when a successful title defence would have seen him overhaul the American. - AFP

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TOP 20

1. Dustin Johnson

2. Jon Rahm

3. Jordan Spieth

4. Justin Thomas

5. Hideki Matsuyama

6. Justin Rose

7. Rickie Fowler

8. Rory McIlroy

9. Brooks Koepka

10. Jason Day

11. Sergio Garcia

12. Henrik Stenson

13. Tommy Fleetwood

14. Marc Leishman

15. Tyrrell Hatton

16. Alex Noren

17. Paul Casey

18. Pat Perez

19. Matt Kuchar

20. Brian Harman