McDowell rises to sixth in world golf rankings

VIRGINIA WATER, England, July 8 (UPI) -- Graeme McDowell's third win in as many months boosts him three places to No. 6 in the updated men's world golf rankings.

McDowell won the French Open by four strokes Sunday by shooting the best round of the day -- a 4-under-par 67. He'd won three tournaments in 2010, including the U.S. Open, but hadn't picked up another title until a taking RBC Heritage in April and the Volvo World Match Play Championship in May.

His French Open win marked his 12th overall professional title, nine of which have been on the European Tour.

He moves from ninth to sixth this week in the world rankings. Phil Mickelson slips two places to eighth and Luke Donald one to ninth in the other Top 10 changes.

Jonas Blixt was a two-stroke winner at the PGA Tour's Greenbrier Classic. That lifts him from 103rd to No. 51 in the rankings.

The men's world golf rankings, listing player, the player's home country and scoring points average:

1. Tiger Woods United States, 12.55

2. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland, 8.97

3. Justin Rose, England, 7.93

4. Adam Scott, Australia, 7.20

5. Matt Kuchar, United States, 6.43

6. Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland, 6.20

7. Brandt Snedeker, United States, 5.92

8. Phil Mickelson, United States, 5.91

9. Luke Donald, England, 5.70

10. Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa, 5.05