First-time winners jump in golf rankings

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VIRGINIA WATER, England, March 4 (UPI) -- Michael Thompson and Dawie van der Walt notched their first major-tour golf tour titles and made large gains in the men's world rankings.

Thompson picked up his first PGA title by winning the Honda Classic in Florida. That moves him to No. 45 in the rankings. Van der Walt won the European Tour's Tshwane Open in South Africa and is up more than 200 places to No. 223.

There was only one change in the Top 10 this week, with Justin Rose moving past Louis Oosthuizen for fifth in the rankings, pushing Oosthuizen to No. 6.

Rory McIlroy, after a controversial walk off the course Friday, marks his 37th week overall as the world No. 1-ranked golfer. His ranking points average is 11.45.

Tiger Woods, who owns the record with 623 weeks atop the golf rankings, is second at 8.75. Luke Donald's average of 7.20 is third highest while Brandt Snedeker (6.65) is fourth.

Rose has an average of 6.44 and Oosthuizen is No. 6 at 6.27.

Adam Scott comes in seventh with 5.60 with, in order, Matt Kuchar (5.47), Lee Westwood (5.40) and Ian Poulter (5.25) completing the Top 10.