Golf: Laird and Lawrie leap up world rankings after their individual victories

SUPER Scots Martin Laird and Paul Lawrie have both made leaps up golf's world rankings after their glorious double on either side of the Atlantic yesterday.

Laird is up to 21st, a rise of 19 places, on the back of his dramatic success in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he staged an amazing recovery over the closing seven holes to pip American Steve Marino.

And Lawrie has climbed more than 100 spots to No.?150 following his return to winning ways after a nine-year title drought with victory in the Andalucia Open in Malaga.

Laird has leapt above last year's Open champion Louis Oosthuizen as well as four other former major winners - Padraig Harrington, Zach Johnson, Geoff Ogilvy and Y E Yang - on the back of his triumph.

The 28-year-old, who covered the last four holes in Orlando in two-under to claim his second PGA Tour title, is also up to fourth on the FedEx Cup points list, just 224 points behind leader Mark Wilson. "I don't know if I was nervous," said Laird after pulling off a brave two-putt from nearly 90 feet at the last to secure his win.

"I thought in the morning that I've let a few tournaments go and I wasn't joking around - this was going to be my tournament, and I felt comfortable."