Stricker No. 2 in world golf rankings

VIRGINIA WATER, England, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Steve Stricker's victory at the PGA's Northern Trust Open in California boosted him to the world No. 2 ranking.

Stricker opened Sunday's play with a 6-stroke lead and was able to hold off a challenge from Luke Donald to collect his eighth PGA title. Four of those have come since last May.

He improved his world ranking to No. 2, matching his career best. He was second in the rankings for three weeks last September.

His move pushed Phil Mickelson from second to third on the rankings list released Monday. Mickelson was a two-time defending Northern Trust Open champion but finished tied for 45th this year.

Tiger Woods remains ensconced in the world No. 1 position, as he has been for the last 244 weeks and 586 weeks overall. After Stricker and Mickelson are, in order, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk and Martin Kaymer.

Rory McIlroy, who tied for sixth at the European PGA Tour's Omega Dubai Desert Classic, improved from ninth to seventh in the ratings. Paul Casey slipped from seventh to eighth while Henrik Stenson went from 10th to ninth, bumping Padraig Harrington from eighth to No. 10.