Scroll down for comments from Gavin Dear, Bryan Fotheringham & Andy McDonald of the R&A

Manassero new world No 1

amateur, and Kellett takes

over as top-ranked Scot

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Matteo Manassero, the 16-year-old British amateur champion from Rome, moves from No 2 to No 1 in today's updated R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings.
The other significant move, from a Scottish point of view, sees Ross Kellett (Colville Park), picture by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography, surge past James Byrne (Banchory & Arizona State University) into No 25, his highest ever position and one which makes him the leading Scot in the rankings for the first time.
Byrne remains at No 40.
The R&A WAGR is calculated on a 52-week cycle which reflects players' form and finishes over the whole year not the past week.
Thus, Manassero has not gone from No 2 to No 1 because he won an event last week. He didn't.
Similarly, American Peter Uihlein's victory in Dixie Amateur championship must have contributed to him going up to two places to No 4.
But James Byrne finished eighth in the same Dixie Amateur while Ross Kellett was not in the top 20 - but Kellett's ranking is improved by 16 places but Byrne marks time.
Do I understand this? No. Can I explain it? No.
The new top 10 rankings with the players' "movements" up or down in brackets are:
1 Matteo Manassero (Italy) (+1).
2 Victor Dubuisson (France) (-1).
3 Nick Taylor (Canada) (no change).
4 Peter Uihlein (US) (+2).
5 Morgan Hoffman (US) (no change).
6 Bud Cauley (US) (-2).
7 Matt Hill (Canada) (no change).
8 Russell Henley (US) (+1).
9 Blayne Barber (US) (-1).
10 David Chung (US) (+2).
Selected rankings:
14 Stiggy Hodgson (England) (-1).
15 Matt Haines (England) (no change).
19 Tommy Fleetwood (England) (no change).
21 Chris Paisley (England) (no change).
22 Darren Renwick (England) (no change).
25 Ross Kellett (Scotland: Colville Park) (+16).
29 Jamie Abbot (England) (-1).
Other Scottish rankings:
40 James Byrne (Banchory & Arizona State Univ) (no change).
165 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) (-1).
173 Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) (-2).
202 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck & East Tennessee State Univ) (no change).
229 James White (Lundin & Stirling Univ) (no change).
277 David Law (Hazlehead) (-3).
343 Steven McEwan (Caprington) (+42).
426 Philip McLean (Peterhead) (-2).
523 Fraser McKenna (Balmore & Southeastern Louisiana Univ) (-2).

Comment from former Walker Cup player Gavin Dear
(who almost made the top 10 during his amateur career)

Hi Colin,
The reason for Ross Kellett moving up the rankings will be the fact he now has a divisor of 83. The rankings, for some reason. have a maximum divisor of 80, roughly meaning the more you play the higher you will be.
For Ross that means his points average is 996.25. When divided by 80, it should be 960.2 (divided by 83). That would put him back in 42nd place behind James Byrne. Hopefully that clears it up, it's a rule which I don't think should be in the system, because I always felt it gave an advantage for the guys that played the most rounds, but there you go.
Cheers,
Gavin Dear

Comment from former Scotland amateur international

Bryan Fotheringham (Forres):

Hi Colin
As far as the World Amateur Golf Rankings go, not one player I have spoken to fully understands how they work. I once had a shot of trying to understand them but got lost and decided to not bother with them.
As you have pointed out guys do well one week and either don't move or go down, and on the flip side, guys do poorly, finish way down the list or miss cuts and move UP the list.
It's a baffling system and one I don't get. Guys turning pro constantly doesn't help and it needs simplifying.

Cheers

Bryan Fotheringham

Comment from R&A staff man Andy McDonald
who compiles the weekly R&A WAGR:

WAGR operates on a 52-week cycle. It is not just about current form as players' scores that are good, bad or indifferent are assessed over the 52-week period. Our web site has very good information on how WAGR operates.
Since I took over from David Moir, one thing has become clear and that is that players, coaches, etc do not fully understand how WAGR works (that is not a criticism). This I hope to address in 2010.
Best wishes for 2010.
Andy McDonald

You can E-mail your comments on any golfing topic to Colin@scottishgolfview.com