McIlroy drops to his worst world ranking in three years

FOUR-TIME Major winner Rory McIlroy has dropped three spots to ninth in the World Golf Rankings, his lowest since May 2014.

The Holywood star has slipped to ninth following a season that has been hampered by injury.

The drop comes after Justin Rose produced a brilliant finish to take advantage of a stunning collapse from world No 1 Dustin Johnson and win the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

Rose’s second WGC title lifts him from 13th in the world to sixth, with Brooks Koepka and Henrik Stenson now seventh and eighth respectively, pushing the absent McIlroy down to ninth.

STEADILY

Paul Dunne’s ranking has climbed steadily since his British Masters heroics, after which he jumped to 88th, and he now sits at 80th.

Shane Lowry is at 89th as Graeme McDowell dropped five places to 162nd in the World. Pádraig Harrington is at 170th Darren Clarke is at 1,256th.

World No 1 Johnson is ahead of second-placed Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas in third, Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm, Rose, Koepka, Stenson, McIlroy and Rickie Fowler completing the top ten.

Rose began the final round in Shanghai eight shots behind Johnson and was still six adrift at the turn, but fired five birdies in a back nine of 31 to complete a closing 67, with Johnson slumping to a 77.

At 14-under par, Rose finished two shots ahead of Ryder Cup partner Henrik Stenson, Koepka and Johnson.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve won, or at least it feels like that. I’ve won every year since 2010, if you include the Olympics last year. I’ve left it late this year but it feels amazing,” Rose said.