McIlroy leads the way

Golf's world number one spot has changed hands for the fifth time in just over two months.

Rory McIlroy starts his third reign at the top after being involved in a play-off for the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.

Fellow 23-year-old Rickie Fowler won his first PGA Tour title with a birdie at the first extra hole and moves up from 39th to 24th on the rankings.

Italian Francesco Molinari improves from 46th to 29th after capturing the Spanish Open in Seville.

Latest leading positions in the world golf rankings:

1 Rory McIlroy 9.78pts, 2 Luke Donald 9.39, 3 Lee Westwood 8.40, 4 Bubba Watson 6.46, 5 Hunter Mahan 5.66, 6 Steve Stricker 5.50, 7 Tiger Woods 5.29, 8 Martin Kaymer 5.23, 9 Webb Simpson 5.17, 10 Phil Mickelson 5.16

11 Justin Rose 5.12, 12 Adam Scott 4.93, 13 Louis Oosthuizen 4.93, 14 Charl Schwartzel 4.88, 15 Jason Day 4.79, 16 Matt Kuchar 4.74, 17 Dustin Johnson 4.66, 18 Graeme McDowell 4.46, 19 Bill Haas 4.31, 20 Jason Dufner 4.27

Other leading Europeans:

21 Sergio Garcia, 26 Peter Hanson, 27 Ian Poulter, 29 Francesco Molinari, 34 Thomas Bjorn, 37 Carl Pettersson, 38 Simon Dyson, 39 Martin Laird, 42 Alvaro Quiros, 43 Robert Karlsson, 44 Paul Lawrie, 46 Anders Hansen, 47 Fredrik Jacobson, 50 Paul Casey, 53 Nicolas Colsaerts, 54 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 58 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 59 Robert Rock, 60 Matteo Manassero, 62 Rafael Cabrera Bello, 71 Darren Clarke, 74 Pablo Larrazabal, 79 Michael Hoey, 80 Alexander Noren, 83 Joost Luiten, 87 Richie Ramsay, 89 Padraig Harrington, 90 Brian Davis, 92 Stephen Gallacher.