SMBC Singapore Open champion Song Younghan soared up the world ranking after his slender victory over double Major champion Jordan Spieth on Monday, a reflection of the tournament’s importance in global golf.
Song jumped from 204th to 113th on the Official World Golf Ranking thanks to his win at Sentosa Golf Club.
He is now the seventh ranked non-Japanese Asian player with countryman K. J. Choi, the winner of multiple titles on the PGA Tour who was second last week in the United States, 24 places below him.
With his main rivals on the sidelines last week, Spieth also solidified his position as world number one with his runner-up finish over the famed Serapong Course
Third-place finisher Liang Wenchong of China rose 41 places to 158th while Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines jumped to 173rd spot after coming in joint fourth with Shintaro Kobayashi of Japan.
Song, a runner-up six times during his professional career, claimed his maiden victory with unflappable play over the closing holes on Monday morning.
He sank a testing 10 footer for par at the 16th then parred the last two holes for a one-under 70 and a total of 12-under 272.
Crowd-puller Spieth sank a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 66 to finish a stroke behind Song in second place.
The SMBC Singapore Open, which returned after a three-year absence, proved a box-office smash with more than 20,000 spectators thronging the fairways over the four tournament days.
While Spieth was the centre of attention, sizable galleries also followed Song, Liang and Tabuena on the final day.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation inked a three-year deal to back the Singapore Open last January and the tournament dates for 2017 will be announced in the coming months.
