SUFFOLK'S Jamie Moul of Stoke by Nayland is ranked second to United States amateur champion, Scotsman Richie Ramsay, in the new official world amateur golf rankings issued by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

SUFFOLK'S Jamie Moul of Stoke by Nayland is ranked second to United States amateur champion, Scotsman Richie Ramsay, in the new official world amateur golf rankings issued by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

This list is now regarded as a universal standard for entry into the Amateur Champion-ship. It is taken from 450 ranking events and includes players from 46 countries.

The top eight places are occupied by Ramsey, Moul, Irish teenager Rory McIlroy, Pablo Martin (Spain), Kyung Tae Kim (Korea). Rhys Davies (Wales), Chris Kirk (United States) and Nigel Edwards (Wales).

Gary Wolstenholme is 11th and Frenchman Julien Guerrier, who won the British Amateur Championship at Royal St Georges last year, is 14th. Steve Lewton of Woburn is 21st.

Jamie Abbott (Fynn Valley), now a member of the England A squad is 13th in England and 77th in the world while Michael Swan, a Stoke by Nayland teenager who broke into the Suffolk county first team last year, is 990th.

Other rankings include Tommy Hunter (Essex) 330th, James Crampton (Lincoln-shire) 422nd, Daniel Brooks (Essex) 469th, Dale Whitnell (Essex) 661st, Paul Maddy (Cambs) 673rd and Lee Yearn (Cambs) 751st.

The rankings will be adjusted every week and can be found on the R&A website.

Moul starts his competitive tournament season today when he tees off in the 2007 Jones Invitational over the spectacular new Frederica course at Sea Island in Georgia.

The Stoke-by-Nayland and Suffolk player faces tough opposition from Richie Ramsey and Lloyd Saltman of Scotland, Rhys Davies of Wales and England Walker Cup rivals Seve Benson, Gary Boyd, Ben Parker, Ed Richardson and Paul Waring. Most of the players are American.