England’s Jamie Spence has moved into the European Tour Career Money List in 40th place. Spence, who finished tied for 36th in the season-ending Volvo Masters, replaces Steven Richardson, who drops out of the top 40 and must now return to the Qualifying School next week in a bid to regain his playing rights.
Massive strides were made during 1998 by the players who filled second and third places on the Volvo Ranking, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood.
Clarke, winner of the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo after his record-equalling final round of 63, has climbed into the all-time top ten in ninth position, just ahead of Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Mark James and Costantino Rocca.
Westwood, who finished third in the Volvo Ranking behind Clarke and No.1 Colin Montgomerie, is currently 16th on the list after breaking through the £2 million barrier in his fifth season on the European Tour. Remarkably, the young Ryder Cup player is averaging just over £400,000 for each of his years on Tour.
Russell Claydon’s victory in the BMW International Open lifted him closer to the top 40. The Englishman lies in 42nd place, just behind Richardson, while Australians Robert Allenby and Peter O’Malley come next just in front of Swede Joakim Haeggman.
