Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are again back-to-back in the world golf ranking.

But there’s plenty of players ahead of them.

Boosted by Sunday’s top-five finish at Abu Dhabi, Woods rose eight spots from last week to No. 17. He started the year ranked 23rd.
Mickelson

Woods
Mickelson, who missed the cut at the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open, fell one slot to 16th.

Rory McIlroy, who finished a shot back in second at the European Tour event, rose to No. 2, supplanting Lee Westwood, who dropped to third.

Luke Donald remained the world’s No. 1 after a T-48 finish at Abu Dhabi.

Martin Kaymer and Steve Stricker rounded out the top five.

After winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Robert Rock, ranked 117th entering the week, rose to 55th.

Woods strengthened his position after finishing tied for third Sunday, two shots back, having entered the final round with the lead. It was the third time in his last five tries that he failed to win depite leading after 54 holes, the ninth time in his career of 64 chances worldwide.

Woods will make his PGA Tour season debut Feb. 9 in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Mickelson will play again this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz.