LONDON - Despite nursing a sore ankle, Tiger Woods maintained his grip at the top of the world golf rankings following his playoff victory at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Miyazaki, Japan.
The 30-year-old American, who beat Japan's Kaname Yokoo at the fourth extra hole on Sunday to clinch his
seventh title of the year, has a points average of 18.04.
Woods, who secured the $350,000 first prize with a birdie at the par-five 18th, aggravated an injury to his left ankle on the first playoff hole.
Second-placed Vijay Singh, who did not play last week, trails Woods by an average of 7.60 world ranking points.
The largest lead Woods has held as the game's top player was a margin of 10.25 points over compatriot Phil Mickelson in the week of September 2, 2001.
New Zealand's Michael Campbell is 17th, with a 4.55 points average.
There was only one change in the world's top 10 when the rankings were announced on Monday.
Argentina's Angel Cabrera climbed two places to 10, dislodging American Kenny Perry who slipped to 12th.
US PGA champion Phil Mickelson and twice US Open winner Retief Goosen stayed third and fourth with Ernie Els, out of action since July because of a knee injury, remaining fifth.
Yokoo, who held a two-stroke advantage over Woods with nine holes to play on Sunday, rose to 170th in the world.
The biggest move of the week came from South African Bradford Vaughan, who won the Sunshine Tour's Limpopo Classic by three strokes at the weekend.
Vaughan rocketed a massive 670 spots to a career-high 314th.
On the Asian Tour, Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant secured his fourth title of 2005 with a two-shot victory at the Vietnam Masters and climbed 11 places to 124th.
World ranking points are accumulated over a two-year period, with points awarded in the most recent 13-week spell doubled.
Each player is ranked according to his average points per tournament, points being weighted according to the status of the event and strength of the field.
- REUTERS
