Tiger Woods out of world top 20

Tiger Woods has fallen out of the world top 20 for the first time since January 1997.

The former world No.1 has not played since May 12 because of knee and Achilles tendon injuries although he is expected to announce later this week that he will return to action at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Thursday week.

That would test his fitness ahead of the year's final Major, the USPGA Championship in Atlanta, which starts on August 11.

Woods has dropped from eighth to 21st in the rankings in that time and last Wednesday announced on his website that he had fired his longtime caddie, New Zealander Steve Williams.

World top 20

1. Luke Donald (ENG) 9.72pts

2. Lee Westwood (ENG) 8.33

3. Martin Kaymer (GER) 7.26

4. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 7.06

5. Steve Stricker (USA) 6.94

6. Phil Mickelson (USA) 6.27

7. Dustin Johnson (USA) 5.75

8. Jason Day (AUS) 5.44

9. Matt Kuchar (USA) 5.38

10. Nick Watney (USA) 5.24

11. Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 5.21

12. Graeme McDowell (NIR) 5.20

13. Bubba Watson (USA) 4.77

14. KJ Choi (KOR) 4.71

15. Paul Casey (ENG) 4.62

16. Ian Poulter (ENG) 4.45

17. Adam Scott (AUS) 4.05

18. Hunter Mahan (USA) 3.78

19. Robert Karlsson (SWE) 3.75

20. Retief Goosen (RSA) 3.67

Rory McIlroy making a new love story with Caroline Wozniacki

US Open champion Rory McIlroy has been romantically linked with tennis world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki after splitting with childhood sweetheart Holly Sweeney.

rory and caroline

Just hours after McIlroy failed to win back-to-back majors at Sandwich, he attempted to put the defeat behind him over dinner in London with Wozniacki, who was in the UK for a photoshoot for sponsors Adidas and Stella McCartney.

A statement released by McIlroy's management company confirmed that the 22-year-old had split with his long-time girlfriend Sweeney on the eve of the Open Championship at Sandwich."Rory McIlroy's long-time relationship with Sweeney came to an amicable end before the Open Championship," International Sports Management confirmed.

Wozniacki may have caught McIlroy's eye while he was a guest in the Royal Box at Wimbledon. The pair met just a few days later at Wladimir Klitschko's win over David Haye in Hamburg on July 2.

The new sports couple, Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki

Not only did Rory McIlroy get caught on the wrong side of the split at the Open Championship, but he also split with his girlfriend before the championship. The 22-year-old U.S. Open winner and his long time girlfriend Holly Sweeney broke up ahead of the week at Royal St. George’s

Mcllroy with his girlfriend

“Rory McIlroy’s long-term relationship with Holly Sweeney came to an amicable end before the British Open,” an International Sports Management spokesman (ISM) said.

It was reported earlier in the year that the duo had split up just months after McIlroy decided to decline PGA Tour membership – a decision he said that was largely influenced by his relationship with Sweeney.With McIlroy near his first major championship win at the Masters, ISM flew in Sweeney to Augusta as a surprise for the potential champion. After his final round 80, Sweeney was there to console McIlroy.

Just two weeks ago, McIlroy spoke publicly about how he had to grovel and work to get Sweeney back after their initial split – crediting her as the inspiration behind his 8-shot U.S. Open win, as well as keeping him grounded.

Wozniacki

There’s another twist to the story, as well. A tennis blogger in the U.K. took pictures of McIlroy with top-rated tennis player Caroline Wozniacki on Sunday night in London, including what appears to be the pair kissing on a corner outside of a cafe. Yahoo!’s Busted Racquet blogs reports the photos were since removed (seemingly as an act of conscience), but live on thanks to the ole right-click-save-as move that makes the Internet go (and that’s a good thing).

Irish Golf Desk reported Monday evening that sources near McIlroy confirm a “close friendship” has formed between the two athletes.If the two are together, that’d be a rather compelling couple. McIlroy would be ahead of Wozniacki on majors, though.