McIlroy returns to world No 2
Rory McIlroy moved back to second in the world despite skipping last week's Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.
The Holywood star, who returns to action in this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, leapfrogged reigning PGA and Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele to regain the number two spot for the first time since July last year.
McIlroy heads Schauffele, who returns from an eight-week injury layoff at Bay Hill, by just 0.01 world ranking points but remains more than six ranking points behind Scottie Scheffer.
American Joe Highsmith (24) leapt 111 places from 170th to 59th thanks to his surprise win in the Cognizant Classic.
After barely making the cut, the Pepperdine graduate closed with a pair of 64s to win by two strokes from Jacob Bridgeman and JJ Spaun.
The first left-hander to win on the PGA TOUR since Matt McCarty last year, Highsmith also earned a place in the Masters and the rest of this season's Signature Events.
"I never really try to think about winning," Highsmith said. "All that stuff is just kind of a little abstract. You're just trying to hit one good shot at a time.
"I had seen a couple boards out there and you get that feeling when you're playing well that maybe you do have a chance to win. As long as you don't mess it up, then you'll end up on top.
"I've had a few tournaments like that over the years, but I haven't won too many times. This one felt pretty good to do it out here at this great event."
As for making it to the Masters, he was almost reluctant to discuss his impending invitation.
"Did you say the Masters?" he said when asked about one of the bonuses that comes with winning a full-field event on the PGA Tour.
"I don't want to break any protocol…Augusta National is a place that has a really special place in my heart. I've only been there a couple of times as a spectator, and I was able to play, fortunately, with a couple of members last year.
"It is just like the most incredible place on earth. I went last year to the tournament just as a spectator because any chance that I can get to walk out there is pretty -- I'm going to take advantage of that.
"But to be playing in that tournament is going to be very special and something, obviously, you work towards your whole life, but you never really know when you're going to get that chance. It's pretty sweet for that to be coming pretty soon."
Shane Lowry had a better day with the putter and made a 25-footer for a closing birdie for a 67 that left him tied for 11th on 13-under.
He joins McIlroy at Bay Hill, looking to improve on his third-place finish behind Scheffler last year.
Lowry moved up one place to 17th in the world, which is his best world ranking position for five years.
The DP World Tour moves from Durban to Johannesburg for the Joburg Open at Houghton Golf Club.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational will be played opposite the $4m Puerto Rico Open at Grand Reserve Golf Club, where Royal Dublin's Max Kennedy makes his PGA TOUR debut.
Kennedy, a cardholder on the HotelPlanner Tour, earned his place in the field thanks to his win in the General Hackler Championship in his final year at the University of Louisville last year.
Leona Maguire, meanwhile, moves from her 21st place finish behind Lydia Ko in the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore to China for the Blue Bay LPGA.
On the LPGA’s second-tier Epson Tour, Douglas’ Sara Byrne closed with a 73 to finish tied for 28th ($2,171) on her debut in the Central Florida Championship.
The former Curtis Cup star remains in Florida for the Atlantic Beach Classic at Atlantic Beach Country Club in Jacksonville.
Byrne lies tied for 27th in the race for 10 LPGA Tour cards at the end of the Epson Tour season
