Mickelson out of top ten for first time since 2004

PHIL Mickelson has fallen out of the world’s top ten for the first time since February 2004.

Webb Simpson’s sixth-place finish at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic in Florida, even though it was not good enough to deny Luke Donald the PGA Tour money list title, relegated fellow American Mickelson to 11th.

Donald, meanwhile, has stretched his lead over fellow Englishman Lee Westwood at the top, while Sergio Garcia’s 11-shot victory in the Castello Masters has taken the Spaniard from 49th to 31st.

Garcia, though, needs another win this Sunday if he is to play in next week’s world championship event in China.

Despite his climb back into the world’s top 35, Garcia became only ninth reserve for the WGC-HSBC Champions starting on Thursday week.

Whoever takes this week’s Andalucia Masters at Valderrama, however, goes straight into the elite 78-man field in Shanghai, where Garcia went to world No 2 by triumphing in 2008.