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The new rules on grooves in golf clubs this season provoked plenty of adverse reaction - but early indications suggest that they are working.

The idea itself was pretty simple: by limiting groove technology, it becomes more difficult for players to control the ball when playing out of the rough. If that loss of control from the rough is severe enough, then players will voluntarily sacrifice a few yards off the tee in order to hit the fairway and be able to control their approach shots.

The net effect is that players should be forced to stop blasting everything off the tee, thus stopping the march of driving distances that had rendered classic courses obsolete.

Critics claimed that such a subtle change would never be enough to make any difference; but a couple of months into the season on the US Tour it appears that all is going to plan.

The longest drive average on the Tour is currently held by monster-hitting Bubba Watson (pictured) with 301.1 yards - quite a step down from his averages of the past four years of 311.3, 315.1, 315.2 and 319.6 yards.

There has also been a general rise in driving accuracy, suggesting that the players really are throttling back in order to hit more fairways.

Obviously the different courses used throughout the season will have an effect on the stats, so it won't be until the end of the year that we'll be able to compare like with like; but the signs are good so far. Maybe those crazy old goats running the game know a thing or two after all.

Elsewhere in stats world, Ernie Els's victory at the weekend helped him extend his record-breaking tally of weeks in the world's top 10.

The big South African has now spent 759 weeks - or 14 years and seven months - of his career in the top 10, the most by any player since the rankings began in 1986.

World Rankings (US unless stated):

1. (1) Tiger Woods 11.91 average points

2. (2) Steve Stricker 7.78

3. (3) Phil Mickelson 7.30

4. (4) Lee Westwood (England) 6.79

5. (6) Paul Casey (England) 6.33

6. (5) Ian Poulter (England) 6.19

7. (8) Martin Kaymer (Germany) 5.43

8. (20) Ernie Els (South Africa) 5.12

9. (7) Jim Furyk 5.11

10. (13) Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 5.00

11. (9) Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 4.81

12. (12) Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 4.73

13. (11) Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 4.63

14. (10) Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 4.58

15. (15) Robert Allenby (Australia) 4.26

16. (14) Kenny Perry 4.22

17. (16) Sergio Garcia (Spain) 4.15

18. (19) Sean O'Hair 3.97

19. (17) Retief Goosen (South Africa) 3.94

20. (18) Stewart Cink 3.83

European Ryder Cup standings:

World points list:

1. Lee Westwood (England) 211.38 points

2. Ian Poulter (England) 190.70

3. Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 148.60

4. Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 133.31

5. Martin Kaymer (Germany) 132.48

European points list:

1. Lee Westwood 2,040,883.43 points

2. Ian Poulter 1,992,692.00

3. Rory McIlroy 1,434,760.55

4. Ross McGowan 1,225,074.75

5. Martin Kaymer 1,109,616.45

6. Simon Dyson 963,390.13

7. Paul Casey 930,896.78

8. Oliver Wilson (England) 851,437.25

9. Padraig Harrington 847,723.18

10. Sergio Garcia (Spain) 808,675.37

Top four on world points list qualify for team, plus top five on European points list not otherwise qualified from world points list. Captain Colin Montgomerie picks remaining three players.

US Ryder Cup standings

1. Steve Stricker 2,166.030 points

2. Dustin Johnson 2,008.650

3. Lucas Glover 1,997.700

4. Stewart Cink 1,857.517

5. Hunter Mahan 1,772.210

6. Matt Kuchar 1,406.013

7. Phil Mickelson 1,304.235

8. Tiger Woods 1,286.163

9. JB Holmes 1,242.498

10. Ben Crane 1,216.315

Top eight on the list qualify, captain Corey Pavin picks remaining four players.

European Tour Race to Dubai:

1. Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 1,247,691 euros

2. Ian Poulter 1,231,936

3. Ernie Els (South Africa) 1,103,255

4. Paul Casey 881,984

5. Martin Kaymer (Germany) 725,734

6. Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 559,751

7. Alvaro Quiros (Spain) 470,173

8. Sergio Garcia (Spain) 442,280

9. Lee Westwood 417,484

10. Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 416,305

US PGA Tour money list (US unless stated):

1. Ernie Els (South Africa) $1,951,106

2. Camilo Villegas (Colombia) $1,861,500

3. Steve Stricker $1,828,500

4. Dustin Johnson $1,772,950

5. Ian Poulter (England) $1,505,025

6. Paul Casey (England) $1,470,700

7. Matt Kuchar $1,406,013

8. Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) $1,283,660

9. Hunter Mahan $1,244,793

10. Ben Crane $1,195,203

Eurosport