Lee Westwood
It took a period of five years to overcome a man of success who has been holding the position too strong. Now Woods is no longer No. 1 in golfing.
Lee Westwood of England clutched on to the top position on Sunday after PGA champion Martin Kaymer lost his probability to finish among the two toppers at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Spain.
Woods had been No. 1 from the week prior to the 2005 U.S. Open, where he was second best. He achieved the British Open soon after and his ranking seldom has been in jeopardy since.
Woods thrashed about through his worst season infrequently on the course. He took a five-month break from golf to get by with confessions of extramarital relationships, which eventually directed to divorce, and his game has not been alike.
Westwood is followed in the rankings by Woods, Kaymer, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker. Westwood, the present No: 1, recuperating from a calf injury that has permitted him to complete just a solitary tournament since his runner-up finish in the British Open at St. Andrews.
As much as this symbolizes the end of Woods’ reign, it is also an absolute and astounding turnaround for Westwood.
The 37-year-old Englishman kicked through a slump so severe that he fell as low as No. 266 on May 25, 2003. He progressively embarked on to work his way back en route for the top, and Westwood has been rising and falling for the last couple of years.
On a playoff at the U.S, he missed once. Open in 2008 and the British Open in 2009 by one shot. He got hold of the Order of Merit on the European Tour last year for the second time in his line of success, and he had the 54-hole lead at the Masters until concluding second to Mickelson. Westwood also was runner-up at St. Andrews, by seven shots to Louis Oosthuizen.
His only victory this year was the St. Jude Classic in a sudden-death playoff, but he has six finishes in the top five.
Woods has been on and off the course for the tenth time in his career path line and the longest he has not been No. 1 was 26 weeks just before the end of the 2004 season and beginning of 2005, when Vijay Singh went on a great run and Woods was in the middle of a swinging transformation.
Will he return back to his position as he has been throughout his career? The answer seems to be on the vicious circle.
Tags: Andalucia Valderrama Masters, Golf, Golfer, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, PGA Champion, Tiger Woods
