South Africa's Jordy Smith is the number 1 surfer in the world

JOHANNESBURG –  Surfer Jordy Smith claimed victory at the Margaret River Pro on Monday, placing him in a mid-season first place in the World Surf League’s Championship Tour.

The 37-year-old grabbed the yellow jersey and No. 1 rank over Italo Ferreira and clinched the inaugural Aussie Treble (best combined results from Bells, Burleigh, and Margaret River).

Smith had not won an event for 8 years but has now won two Championship Tour (CT) contests.

The Western Australia Margaret River Pro, along with his El Salvador title, is the first time in his 18-year career that Jordy has won two CT events in a single year.

The Margaret River event has served as a crucial mid-year cut point for the tour, after which lower-ranked competitors are relegated back to the qualifying circuit.