JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout rocketed up 30 places to 60th in the world golf rankings released on Monday.
The 25-year-old lost in a playoff at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday, with Australian Lucas Herbert triumphing on the second hole of sudden death.
While it would have been a bitter pill to swallow, after bogeying his final hole in regulation play to fall into a share of the lead - there was still plenty to smile about for Bezuidenhout.
A second place paycheque of R5.2m would go a long way in his commiserations and he now has a realistic chance of qualifying for The Masters at Augusta in April.
The first Major of the year invites the top-50 ranked players (not already exempt) in the world at the March 31 deadline, and it means the European Tour event winner Bezuidenhout needs to improve 10 places over the next two months to secure the most lucrative and hallowed of golf invites.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout rocketed up 30 places to 60th in the world rankings.Photo: Michael Sherman (ANA)
Louis Oosthuizen remains the top-ranked SA player on the globe at number 14, while Erik van Rooyen is next best at 46th.
Shaun Norris is 57th, while SA Open champion Branden Grace is 74th. Justin Harding completes the SA players in the top-100 at 82nd.