Lee Westwood Takes Over No. 1, Ends Tiger Woods' 5-Year Reign

Filed under: PGA

Lee Westwood has taken over the world No. 1 golf ranking, ending Tiger Woods' five-year reign atop the Official World Golf Rankings.

Woods has held the spot for 281 consecutive weeks after grabbing No. 1 the week before the 2005 U.S. Open. For much of that time, his top ranking was hardly threatened, but struggles on and of the course this season put his ranking in jeopardy.

Phil Mickelson had opportunities to take the throne in 12 tournaments but failed to deliver when the pressure was on.

Martin Kaymer, arguably the world's best player right now, would have leapfrogged Westwood for the No. 1 spot had he finished in the top two at the Andalucia Masters in Spain. Instead, Kaymer finished outside of the top 20 and Westwood passes Woods despite a calf injury that has kept him outside the ropes since the Bridgestone Invitational in early August.

Westwood is the first European since Nick Faldo in 1994 to be No. 1, and only the 13th since the current ranking system began in 1986. Despite the injury, Westwood is coming off two strong seasons. He missed out on a playoff at the 2009 British Open by one shot, and finished runner up to Mickelson at the 2010 Masters and to Louis Oosthuizen at the British Open at St. Andrews.

But it's a tight gap at the top of the rankings. This week's HSBC Champions in Shanghai could result with Westwood, Woods, Kaymer or Mickelson at No. 1.

 

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