BYRNE AND STEWART REACH HIGHEST EVER WORLD RANKINGS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Banchory's James Byrne rose three places in the RandA World Amateur Rankings to No 11 this week - his highest ever ranking.
But that cuts no ice at Arizona State University!
Like most US colleges, Arizona State has qualifying competitions within their golf roster and the top five make up the team for the next college golf tournament.
This week's event is the Southern Highland Collegiate Masters at Las Vegas, Nevada from Friday to Sunday ... but 22-year-old James, pictured right, won't be there because he did not finish in the leading five of the Arizona State University internal qualifying competition.
Byrne, who has his own website, put the following message on Twitter:
"Didn't qualify for Vegas, guys, but playing nicely. Ball striking is better than ever but not scoring well enough. It will come."
Scottish amateur champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), winner last week of the South African amateur championship, has also risen to his highest WAGR. He has gone up 15 places to No 32.
Byrne and Stewart are the only Scots ranked in the top 140.
Byrne fully expects to make the world top 10 next week - without playing!. In an E-mail to Scottishgolfview.com from Arizona, he said:
"I will likely rise higher next week when the Las Vegas tournament drops from my points. Last year I finished well down the field. However, in order to sustain that ranking I will have to start performing better, no question."
If the Great Britain and Ireland team for September's Walker Cup match against the United States at Royal Aberdeen GC were chosen this week and the top 10 eligible players in the World Amateur Rankings were selected, skipper Noel Edwards' line-up at Balgownie would be:
11 James Byrne (Scotland) (+3 from last week).
14 Andrew Sullivan (England) (+1).
24 Paul Cutler (Ireland) (-2).

32 Michael Stewart (Scotland) (+15).

35 Tom Lewis (England) (+3).

42 Jack Senior (England) (-3).

77 Kevin Phelan (Ireland) (-9).

78 Stiggy Hodgson (England) (+84).

82 Laurie Canter (England) (+20).

125 Eddie Pepperell (England) (+1).

Reserves:

147 Stuart Ballingall (Scotland) (+1).

157 Rhys Pugh (Wales) (-3).

164 Andrew Cooley (England) (-1)