Imagine being ranked number one in the world in your profession. Now imagine being ranked number one for 281 consecutive weeks. Let me say it again - 281 consecutive weeks.
No one can catch you. Not wiley veterans nor young guns. It's like the top spot was meant for you. A few come close, but they can't quite catch you.
Honestly, I can't even imagine being the top rated golf blogger for a week. I'm usually happy if I can piece together a halfway coherent paragraph.
But Tiger Woods was the number one player in the world for over five years, until Lee Westwood put together a string of wins to overtake Woods. Wait, that's not right. Westwood won the St. Jude Classic back in June, but that's his only win this season.
Come to think of it, Tiger Woods doesn't even have one win this season and he was ranked #1.
What gives?
Well, rankings are based on a formula that takes into account a player's results over a two year "rolling" period. I was going to try and explain the way it works here, but I don't have that kind of patience, so if you're really a glutton for punishment, you can read the rest of the formula at the World Golf Rankings official website.
Like the BCS in college football, no one really seems to understand the rankings. Up until last November no one really questioned them either. But it was painfully obvious this season that Tiger Woods was not the #1 player in the world. There weren't many times he was the #1 player in his tournament pairing for the week.
On Sunday, Lee Westwood took over the number one spot from Woods, not because he beat Woods in a tournament; not even because he won a tournament. He did so because he finally caught him in points.
That's not to say Westwood isn't deserving of the top spot. Quite the contrary, I think he is the best player in golf right now. He's had four top-5 Major finishes over the last two years and it's only a matter of time before he actually wins one. It's hard to find a weakness in his game.
Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer are both deserving of a mention too. U.S. Open champion McDowell has two wins on the European Tour this season and a remarkable Ryder Cup performance in Wales. Kaymer's been a steady winner on the Euro tour over the past two years and is reigning PGA Champion.
Westwood's ranking might last a few weeks or it might last a year. It all depends on how many points he earns and how the formula spits out the ranking. I'll stick with the old time tested method of my own observation. Westwood's number one...for now.
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