McIlroy second to Donald in golf rankings

VIRGINIA WATER, England, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Rory McIlroy has moved to No. 2 in the men's world golf rankings, inching closer to top-ranked Luke Donald.

McIlroy finished second to Robert Rock in the European Tour's Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship Sunday. That boosts him past Lee Westwood for the No. 2 ranking. Westwood was 17th in Abu Dhabi.

Donald ended up 48th in Abu Dhabi and has a rankings points average of 9.752 while McIlroy's average is 7.978 and Westwood is third at 7.580.

The rest of the Top 10 is unchanged.

Martin Kaymer (6.078) sits in fourth and Steve Stricker (5.843) remains fifth. Webb Simpson is sixth, with a 5.234 average, but Adam Scott (5.157) and Charl Schwartzel (5.071) are close behind in seventh and eighth, respectively. Dustin Johnson is ninth at 4.885 and Jason Day (4.748) completes the Top 10.

Brandt Snedeker, who won the PGA Tour's Farmer's Insurance Open, goes from 33rd to No. 15. Rock's win in Abu Dhabi pushes him from 117th to No. 55.

Tiger Woods tied for third at Abu Dhabi and jumps from 25th to No. 17 in the rankings this week.