Els -- and Scott -- up in golf rankings

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VIRGINIA WATER, England, July 23 (UPI) -- British Open champion Ernie Els moves to No. 15 in the men's world golf rankings but the players who finished right behind him also improve their rankings.

Els had a final nine of 32 Sunday that enabled him to move past Adam Scott and Tiger Woods for his fourth major tournament title and second win at the British Open. He also won the event in 2002.

Els rises from 40th to No. 15 in the world rankings.

While Els was sharp in the closing holes of the British Open, Adam Scott faded. He had bogeys on each of his last four holes and was 5-over for the day to end up one stroke back of Els. Still, Scott takes over the No. 6 spot in the rankings. He was 13th last week.

Tiger Woods finished third Sunday. He had a triple-bogey on the sixth hole Sunday -- one he had birdies on each of the first three rounds -- and consecutive bogeys over 13-15 in ending up tied with Brandt Snedeker for third place, four back of Els. Woods is back to No. 2 in the rankings, an improvement of two spots.

Only No. 1 Luke Donald (tied for fifth at the British Open) and fifth-ranked Webb Simpson keep the same spot in the golf Top 10 as last week.

Donald had a rankings points average of 9.811. Woods has an average of 8.448, which edged him past Rory McIlroy (8.411) for second. Lee Westwood (7.890) slips on spot to fourth.

Simpson has an average of 6.466 while Scott comes in at 6.265. The rest of the Top 10, all of whom were pushed down one spot this week, includes seventh-ranked Bubba Watson (6.228), No. 8 Jason Dufner (5.867), ninth-ranked Matt Kuchar (5.764) and No. 10 Justin Rose (5.467).

Scott Simpson, the winner of the PGA Tour's True South Classic, jumps from 179th to No. 121 in the rankings.