Els leapfrogs Woods in rankings

Ernie Els headed from Ireland to Scotland today having killed two birds with one stone at Mount Juliet.

The South African not only captured his first World Golf Championships crown yesterday, beating Denmark's Thomas Bjorn by one stroke in the £3.8million American Express Championship, but also overtook Tiger Woods in the world rankings.

Now only Vijay Singh stands between him and top spot. And while Woods flew home, Els was reunited with his father Neels, whom he will be partnering in the Dunhill Links championshipat St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns-Also there, hopefully, will be Singh, who pulled out of the last event in County Kilkenny after his home in Florida was damaged by Hurricane Jeanne. The two will also be opponents in next week's HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth.

"If Vijay keeps playing like he has been he's obviously going to be very tough to beat, but I don't think there's going to be the gap that Tiger opened up," Els said.

Just to be winning again came as a relief to the 34-year-old. His previous success was the Memorial Tournament in Ohio in May and until yesterday all that he was really being remembered for this season was a succession of near-misses.

Els was second in the US Masters, missed out on joining a play-off at the US PGA by bogeying the last and in the US Open, two off the lead with a round to play and in the final group, crashed to an 80 at Shinnecock Hills.

"There was more pressure on me than anybody in the field," he said. "I had to win it or lose it. Everybody knows what I've been through and I showed I didn't want to lose."