July 23, 2004

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-- BassFan.com, the world's only daily media outlet covering professional fishing, announced today that according to the State Farm-BassFan.com World Rankings, red-hot angler Mark Davis is the No. 1-ranked fisherman in the world entering the Bassmaster Classic championship, which starts here on Friday.

Davis, from Mt. Ida, Ark., has won three BASS events already this year (two back to back), and this is the first time he is ranked No. 1 heading into professional fishing's biggest event. For the three years prior to this one, Michigan powerhouse Kevin VanDam has been No. 1 heading into the Classic. VanDam is now ranked 2nd, less than 2 points behind Davis.

Asked whether he feels any extra pressure in the high-profile No. 1 spot, Davis said, "Everyone deals with it differently, but I put it out of my mind as best I can and try not to think about it. It's meaningful, but at the same time if you let it pressure you, it's just going to hurt you. I'll just try to apply my skills and fish as best I can. That's the best way for me to me deal with it."

VanDam looked at it similarly. "I'm always going for (No. 1), but I'm not looking at the rankings. The Classic is the biggest tournament in our sport by far, and that's what I'm concentrating on. I'm real fired up."

Alabama's Gerald Swindle, the 2004 Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year, is ranked third in the State Farm-BassFan.com World Rankings, the highest he has ever been ranked. He is also fewer than 2 points behind VanDam, and has his sights set on the No. 1 spot.

"As a competitor, being ranked third in the world gives me incentive," Swindle said. "I don't look at it as being third in the world. I look at it as two guys are in my way. Would I like to surpass them (at the Classic) and make run at (No. 1)? You bet. They're friends of mine, but a competitor wants to win everything and won't be satisfied until he's sitting at No. 1."

The State Farm-BassFan.com World Rankings are the official world rankings of professional bass fishing, and are calculated using a formula that incorporates finish data from both major tours and their two championships. The world rankings are recalculated after each tournament.

BassFan.com is owned by BassFan LLC, a New Jersey-based company which is the global leader in daily news reporting on professional fishing. Over the past three years, people have logged on to BassFan.com more than 100 million times for up to-the-minute reporting on the sport.

The State Farm-BassFan.com World Rankings (Top 50 of 200)

Classic anglers are in bold (some Classic anglers aren't ranked because they don't fish the pro tours)

For the full World Rankings list and the rankings methodology, please see www.BassFan.com

Anglers are listed by Rank, Name, Hometown, State, and points

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State Farm-BassFan.com World Rankings

1. Mark Davis -- Mt. Ida -- AR -- 222.51

2. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo -- MI -- 220.03

3. Gerald Swindle -- Hayden -- AL -- 218.131

4. Alton Jones -- Waco -- TX -- 217.403

5. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales -- LA -- 212.746

6. Skeet Reese -- Auburn -- CA -- 211.038

7. Gary Klein -- Weatherford -- TX -- 209.408

8. Tim Horton -- Muscle Shoals -- AL -- 205.14

9. Mark Kile -- Payson -- AZ -- 204.746

10. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola -- TX -- 203.371

11. Harold Allen -- Shelbyville -- TX -- 203.073

12. Peter Thliveros -- Jacksonville -- FL -- 201.714

13. Brent Chapman -- Shawnee -- KS -- 201.131

14. Clark Wendlandt -- Cedar Park -- TX -- 200.02

15. Edwin Evers -- Mannsville -- OK -- 199.388

16. Zell Rowland -- Montgomery -- TX -- 198.377

17. Mike Surman -- Boca Raton -- FL -- 197.338

18. Takahiro Omori -- Emory -- TX -- 196.326

19. Shaw E. Grigsby, Jr. -- Gainesville -- FL -- 195.939

20. Jim Bitter -- Fruitland Park -- FL -- 192.314

21. David Dudley -- Manteo -- NC -- 188.914

22. Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount -- NC -- 188.266

23. Ron Shuffield -- Bismarck -- AR -- 188.112

24. Dean Rojas -- Grand Saline -- TX -- 187.367

25. Jay Yelas -- Tyler -- TX -- 186.607

26. Michael Iaconelli -- Voorhees -- NJ -- 186.429

27. Kevin Wirth -- Crestwood -- KY -- 186.377

28. Matt Reed -- Madisonville -- TX -- 185.65

29. Dan Morehead -- Paducah -- KY -- 185.154

30. Aaron Martens -- Castaic -- CA -- 184.359

31. Davy Hite -- Prosperity -- SC -- 182.544

32. David Walker -- Sevierville -- TN -- 182.538

33. Terry Scroggins -- Palatka -- FL -- 181.776

34. Kenyon Hill -- Norman -- OK -- 181.762

35. Marty Stone -- Linden -- NC -- 181.347

36. David Wharton -- Sam Rayburn -- TX -- 181.097

37. John Murray -- Phoenix -- AZ -- 179.033

38. Randy Howell -- Springville -- AL -- 177.157

39. Jimmy D. Mize -- Ben Lomond -- AR -- 176.133

40. Bud Pruitt -- Spring -- TX -- 175.527

41. Ish Monroe -- Phoenix -- AZ -- 175.138

42. Matthew Herren -- Trussville -- AL -- 174.542

43. Brett Hite -- Phoenix -- AZ -- 174.328

44. Alvin Shaw -- State Road -- NC -- 174.158

45. Chad Brauer -- Osage Beach -- MO -- 171.254

46. Brian Snowden -- Springfield -- MO -- 170.907

47. Mark Menendez -- Paducah -- KY -- 170.889

48. Jack L. Wade -- Knoxville -- TN -- 170.884

49. David Lefebre -- Erie -- PA -- 170.857

50. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner -- OK -- 170.1

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