Louis Oosthuizen WGC Match Play Championship

There will be three South Africans in the 64-man field for the WGC Match Play Championship that begins on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. Photo: EPA/NEIL HALL

Louis Oosthuizen rockets up world rankings after top Open finish

Louis Oosthuizen will take heart after his third-place finish in the Open Championship and from the fact that he has risen inside the top 10 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Louis Oosthuizen WGC Match Play Championship

There will be three South Africans in the 64-man field for the WGC Match Play Championship that begins on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. Photo: EPA/NEIL HALL

Louis Oosthuizen may be disappointed, but he will take heart after his third-place finish in the Open Championship on Sunday and from the fact that he has risen inside the top 10 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

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It is the first time he has been inside the top 10 since 2013, and it is reward for a year in the major championships which, while frustrating, is almost unbelievable in its consistency: After a share of 26th at the Masters in April, he has finished in a share of second in the PGA Championship behind Phil Mickelson, second alone in the US Open behind world number one Jon Rahm, and in a share of third at the Open behind Collin Morikawa.

The other big beneficiary of a great performance in the Open was Dylan Frittelli.

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He was last into the field at the expense of the unfortunate Louis de Jager, and he took his chance with relish as he finished fifth to climb 28 places in the rankings inside the top 100 to 78th.

That makes him the fifth-ranked South African behind Oosthuizen, Garrick Higgo, who was down three in 43rd, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, down one in 46th and Branden Grace, down one in 63rd.

Daniel van Tonder and Dean Burmester were both rewarded for good Open debuts with two-place climbs to 85th and 93rd, respectively.

Also benefitting from strong Open showings were Justin Harding, up 12 places to 114th and JC Ritchie who was up 17 places to 216th.

Oliver Bekker came third in the Challenge Tour’s Euram Bank Open in Austria, and he was up 38 places to 276th.

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South Africa’s top 10 in latest world golf rankings:

1. Louis Oosthuizen – 9 (up 4)

2. Garrick Higgo – 43 (down 3)

3. Christiaan Bezuidenhout – 46 (down 1)

4. Branden Grace – 63 (down 1)

5. Dylan Frittelli – 78 (up 28)

6. Daniel van Tonder – 85 (up 2)

7. Dean Burmester – 93 (up 2)

8. Charl Schwartzel – 99 (unchanged)

9. Erik van Rooyen – 102 (down 6)

10. Brandon Stone – 108 (down 6)