Golf: Chopra makes Ryder Cup rankings

Jan 8 2008

SWEDEN'S Daniel Chopra has leapt all the way to second place in the European Ryder Cup race and 61st in the world after his shock victory in the US Tour’s season-opening Mercedes Benz Championship in Hawaii.

Chopra went into the event world-ranked 120th, but beat American star Steve Stricker at the fourth hole of a play-off to claim the first prize of over a million dollars and a Mercedes car. Stricker still improves to a best-ever position of world number three despite losing.

The tournament was restricted to last year’s US Tour winners, but Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington and Adam Scott all stayed away.

Chopra qualified with his first victory on the circuit last October – and now has a debut in the Masters at Augusta in April to look forward to.

Latest leading positions in the European Ryder Cup tables (top five in world list, plus next leading five in European list on August 31 qualify. Captain Nick Faldo then adds two wild cards. Capitals indicate players in qualifying positions)

World List

1 JUSTIN ROSE 120.83, 2 DANIEL CHOPRA 100.27, 3 LEE WESTWOOD 95.09, 4 IAN POULTER 74.66, 5 NICK DOUGHERTY 62.77, 6 Soren Hansen 58.72, 7 Miguel Angel Jimenez 58.36, 8 Robert Karlsson 51.57, 9 Steve Webster 48.42, 10 Padraig Harrington 48.07, 11 Phillip Archer 44.55, 12 Soren Kjeldsen 42.76.

European List

1 Justin Rose 1,133,349, 2 Lee Westwood 1,008,366, 3 Nick Dougherty 745,594, 4 STEVE WEBSTER 669,636, 5 ROBERT KARLSSON 623,469, 6 SOREN HANSEN 585,301, 7 SOREN KJELDSEN 576,451, 8 MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ 553,788, 9 Phillip Archer 500,186, 10 Gregory Bourdy 483,231, 11 Ross Fisher 470,041, 12 Padraig Harrington 459,633.