Latest update: 31/10/2010 

- golf - Tiger Woods


British golfer Lee Westwood topples Woods as world number one

British golfer Lee Westwood topples Woods as world number one

British golfer Lee Westwood is to take over as world number one when the new rankings are published on Monday, knocking Tiger Woods from the top spot he has held for the last five years.

By News Wires (text)
 

 

AFP - Lee Westwood was assured of toppling Tiger Woods as world number one on Sunday when Martin Kaymer failed to finish in the top two in the European Tour's Andalucia Masters tournament.
  
The 37-year-old Englishman was already certain, under the complex world rankings system, of moving ahead of Woods who had been number one for the last five years.
  
But with Westwood not playing in Spain this week, Germany's newly-crowned US PGA champion Kaymer had the chance of taking the top spot with a first or second place finish at the Valderrama course.
  
After rounds of 72, 74 and 70 though Kaymer was nine shots off the pace going into Sunday's final round with little hope of achieving his goal.
  
A closing effort of four over 75 left him well down the field and as soon as he completed his round it was clear that Westwood would be the new world number one, the first European player to hold that position since Nick Faldo in 1994.
  
Westwood will be challenged to hold on to top spot next week when he, Woods, Kaymer and Phil Mickelson all tee off in the star-studded HSBC Champions trophy in Shanghai.
  
The Ryder Cup star will be the fifth player to displace the American atop the rankings, but the first since Woods went back to the top replacing Fiji's Vijay Singh in June 2005.
  
Despite once again failing to win a major this year, Westwood has been the most consistent golfer in the world with runner-up finishes in the Masters and at the British Open.
  
Woods meanwhile has failed to win a single tournament as the ripple effects from his marriage metldown have wrecked his focus and form on the course.
  
The 25-year-old Kaymer had jumped into contention by winning his last three tournaments prior to Andalucia including his first major at the US PGA.

 

Date created : 31/10/2010 
Comments
Post new comment
To prevent automated spam submissions leave this field empty.

Related Content
Close