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Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is up to a career-best sixth place in the latest world rankings and is ahead of Tiger Woods for the first time.

The 21-year-old from County Down and 14-times major winner Woods swapped places in the standings after a week in which neither played.

McIlroy is back in action on Thursday as he defends his title at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina.

Former world number one Woods misses the tournament because of injury.

McIlroy won in 2010 - his first victory on the PGA Tour - when the event was known as the Quail Hollow Championship.

Big-hitting left-hander Bubba Watson has broken into the top 10 in the world after his play-off win over fellow American Webb Simpson at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans.

World golf rankings: 1 Lee Westwood (Eng) 8.22pts, 2 Martin Kaymer (Ger) 7.54, 3 Luke Donald (Eng) 7.27, 4 Phil Mickelson (US) 6.55, 5 Graeme McDowell (NI) 5.64, 6 Rory McIlroy (NI) 5.54, 7 Tiger Woods (US) 5.53, 8 Paul Casey (Eng) 5.49, 9 Steve Stricker (US) 5.33, 10 Bubba Watson (US) 5.24.