It is traditionally a number which strikes fear into the hearts of the superstitious, but for David Howell today there is no number sweeter than 13. For it represents the career-high position in the Official World Golf Ranking to which the 30 year old Englishman has climbed following his stunning win in the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai.
The Ryder Cup player went head-to-head with World Number One Tiger Woods in the final round over the Sheshan International Golf Club and triumphed, his final round 68 giving him a three shot winning margin over the American who closed with a 70.
The win now places Howell as the second highest ranked European golfer in the world, behind Spain’’s Sergio Garcia in sixth place, and furthermore strengthens an already impressive European Tour presence at the top end of the Official World Golf Ranking.
For as well as having five Members in the top eight – Vijay Singh (second), Retief Goosen (fourth), Ernie Els (fifth), Garcia (sixth) and Adam Scott (eighth) - The European Tour also boasts eight Members filling the ten places between 11th and 20th.
Leading the way is BMW Championship winner Angel Cabrera (11th), followed by Howell (13th), Ryder Cup player Padraig Harrington (14th), World Cup winner Luke Donald (15th), eight time Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie (16th), US Open Champion Michael Campbell (17th), double winner in Japan Darren Clarke (19th) and Volvo Masters winner Paul McGinley (20th).
Completing the Roll of Honour in the upper echelons of world golf are Thomas Björn (24th), José Maria Olazábal (27th) and Nick O Hern (29th), seeing The European Tour fill over half - 16 to be precise – of the current places in the World’’s Top 30.
