McDowell wins Andalucia Masters

SOTOGRANDE, Spain — Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell won the Andalucia Masters on Sunday at Valderrama, closing with a 3-over 74 for a two-stroke victory.

McDowell, also the U.S. Open winner and Wales Open champion this year, finished at 3 under. Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin (76), Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen (69) and Ireland's Damien McGrane (72) tied for second.

German star Martin Kaymer, who won the PGA Championship, needed a top-two finish to take the top spot from Tiger Woods in the world ranking, but closed with a 75 to tie for 21st.

England's Lee Westwood took the top ranking, becoming the first European since Nick Faldo in 1994 to be No. 1, and the 13th player to be No. 1 since the ranking system began in 1986.

Woods had been No. 1 since the week before the 2005 U.S. Open, where he was runner-up. He won the British Open a month later and his ranking has rarely been threatened since.

That changed this year, however, when Woods struggled through his worst season on and off the course. He took a five-month break from golf to cope with confessions of extramarital affairs, which ultimately led to divorce, and his game has not been the same.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: At Charleston, S.C., Brendan Steele won the Nationwide Tour Championship, beating Colt Knost on the fourth hole of a playoff. But both players left feeling like champions as they finished among the top 25 money winners to earn PGA Tour cards.

Steele began the season-ending event 30th and Knost, the 2007 U.S. Amateur champion, was 36th. Steele knocked in an 8-foot birdie on the fourth extra hole, ending a day filled with drama, nerves and regrets.

Steele finished sixth on the final money list and Knost 15th, both among the 14 first-timers out on tour next season. Steele, who earned $180,000, closed with a 1-over 73, and Knost, who made $108,000, had a 70 to finish at 13 under on the Daniel Island Club's Ralston Course.

Utah's Daniel Summerhays finished in a tie for 16th in the tournament and finished the season as the No. 5 money-winner on the Nationwide Tour with $391,742. Summerhays earned his PGA Tour card for the first time.

Utah Championship winner Michael Putnam also earned his PGA card, finishing 24th on the money list with $220,377.

Justin Hicks edged Scott Gardiner by $2,010 for the 25th and final PGA Tour spot.

Jamie Lovemark, a 22-year-old tour rookie, maintained his No. 1 position on the money list to earn a full PGA Tour exemption and entry into The Players Championship. Lovemark finished with $452,951.

ASIAN TOUR: At Selangor, Malaysia American Ben Crane won the inaugural Asia Pacific Classic, eagling the par-4 15th and making an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat England's Brian Davis by a stroke.

Crane closed with a 2-under 69 at The Mines to finish at 18 under and earn $1 million in the first PGA Tour-sanctioned event in Southeast Asia. Davis shot a 66, finishing birdie-eagle-birdie.

Scotland's Martin Laird (66) and England's Luke Donald (67) tied for third at 16 under.

After making three straight bogeys to fall a stroke behind Laird, Crane drove the green on the 15th and holed his 8-foot eagle putt to regain the lead. Davis pulled even with his closing birdie, but Crane avoided a playoff with his winning birdie.

The slow-playing Crane won the Farmers Insurance Open in January at Torrey Pines for his third career PGA Tour victory. The win Sunday in the 40-player event — also sanctioned by the Asian Tour — doesn't count as an official PGA Tour victory.

LPGA TOUR: At Incheon, South Korea, South Korea's Na Yeon Choi successfully defended her title in the LPGA Hana Bank Championship, shooting a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory over Vicky Hurst.