New World Number 1

[Chrimbo]

Looks like it's a bit irrelevant now as Westwood might have to withdraw from the tournament through injury.

BBC Sport - Westwood Might Withdraw


Shame as I would have liked to see a British No.1

 

[Parmo]

Lee my miles, rather Lee than some tit who needs to be hypnotised to play golf, is there a ruling on that or would that be classed as immoral?

 

[PhilTheFragger]

My Heart says Lee, because I want him to be number 1, He deserves it, he is a man of high moral fibre, a great ambassador for the sport, has time for the fans and is playing his best golf ever.

My Head says Tiger still has the edge, He is a philanderer supreme, but his record is outstanding and his showing in the Ryder Cup singles was nothing short of magical.

Even though he walked along the edge of the crowd on the Friday and totally ignored us to a man., not even a nod.

Even through his off course antics and the fact that he can be a charmless git

He is still the best player on the planet and I cant see Lee getting this close again, without winning something big

Fragger

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As a huge Westwood fan my vote for him was inevitable. I have always admired Woods for his golfing prowess (nothing else really matters to me) in the same way as I've admired and willed Westy towards breaking his major voodoo.

If he is injured it'll be a shame and maybe even a worry longer term if he keeps breaking down (Olazabel anyone?) but I think it has to be good for him and the European Tour to have him at number 2 anyway

 

[JustOne]

Tiger for me.

Westwood couldn't even win his singles but Tiger destroyed his opponent DESPITE the supposed lack of form and 'troubles'. I don't think Westwood makes as many birdies in a month as Tiger does in a round, Westwood is an 'also-ran' along with Mickelson.

When Tiger's days are numbered then the next DESERVED person will emerge from the pack.

 

[Alex1975]

Hey!! Big Phil is no also ran! grrrr He is world class, ok maybe hes not Tiger but he has his own name and his own success.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I don't pay much heed to the world rankings. I don't know why but I don't feel that they are reactive enough.

This year Tiger has won nothing so why is he still world number 1? Yes, he's won 14 majors, etc, etc but not this year so surely, soemone who's been regularly in and around the winners circle - Westwood, Rose, Johnson, etc should be higher than Woods.

Otherwise it starts to look more like a hall of fame than a form table.

 

[JustOne]

I don't pay much heed to the world rankings. I don't know why but I don't feel that they are reactive enough.

Me neither, I don't even know how they are calculated but I think it should be longer than 1 years performance and not more than 3.

It's hard to rank players just on how much money they've won seeing as all the comps have different prizes, if it's only on money then Matt Kuchar won the most on the regular USPGA tour, so I guess he's the best of 2010

 

[Alex1975]

I don't pay much heed to the world rankings. I don't know why but I don't feel that they are reactive enough.

Me neither, I don't even know how they are calculated but I think it should be longer than 1 years performance and not more than 3.

It's hard to rank players just on how much money they've won seeing as all the comps have different prizes, if it's only on money then Matt Kuchar won the most on the regular USPGA tour, so I guess he's the best of 2010

I think its done over two years? does anyone know exactly how it is worked out please?

 

[Imurg]

It's worked on a rolling 2 years. Points are awarded based on the number of top players in the field, so the Majors obviously carry a load of points but the Czech Open doesn't. Points are also bias towards US events.
Once you've got some points they are divided by the number of tournaments you've played in the last 2 years - minimum 40. Thus you arrive at the points average. Points you scored in the same week 2 years ago drop off the total.

So winning a couple of big events doesn't mean you'll get to the top. Coming 2nd or 3rd in lots of tournaments will get you lots of points.

 

[Marko77]

So winning a couple of big events doesn't mean you'll get to the top. Coming 2nd or 3rd in lots of tournaments will get you lots of points.

This is how Lee would be a deserved No. 1 - he is up there in nearly every competition he enters. Lets hope he stays fit!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I heard on Sky Sports News he's vowed to carry on this weekend if at all possible. I guess that shows that he wants it at least.

 

[Screwback]

Tricky one for me this and one i had to think about my decision.

For me westwood is a great golfer and a nice guy a great competitor and a proven winner of events, also a good team player.

Tiger on the other hand, is he greatest golfer his all round game and determination to win is miles above anyone else in the game at the moment, he comes up with shots that leave me speachless and he is a proven winner of majors which has to be a big deciding factor in who deserves number 1.

If Westwood had played the last round in the masters this like he had played the last round of the race to dubai last year i think my vote would have been different.

Both Great Great players though!!!

 

[Alex1975]

Thanks Imurg

And ye Homer thats good to know.

 

[pablo123]

Has to be Westwood, about time someone knocked woods off the spot. Growing up woods was my hero and always will be my favourite golfer but lee is one too, deffo got a major up that twitching erse someplace!

 

[Macster]

I think the whole 'who No1' is a farce to be honest, and should be scrapped, its meaningless, far too many if's & but's and questionable qulaifying factors.....

Woods - Won loads of Money & Tournement, and who's Golf has undoubtebly inspired many around the world.
However, is equally as dislikeable and arrogant, and who's behaviour and demeanor are most definitely not deserving of a top 20 slot, never mind World No1.

Westwood. - Superbly consistent, and awesome golfer too, but without the will to win of Woods perhaps.
However, if likeability and respect from fellow players and the heirarchy of World Golf were qualification points, he'd be miles ahead of Woods.

No contest for me.

 

[fundy]

anyone would think this an English forum lol. 80% Westwood to be number 1? Its Monty all over again isnt it? Simply cant be the best golfer in the world without winning a major for me.

 

[CrapHacker]

anyone would think this an English forum lol. 80% Westwood to be number 1? Its Monty all over again isnt it? Simply cant be the best golfer in the world without winning a major for me.

Dunno who does deserve to be no 1 at the moment, but I do think it can't be Tiger.

He's on the way back, and next year I think he'll be deservedly in his rightful spot.

But at this point, he's not the best, he's nowhere near his best, and so I think, for the integrity of the rankings, he should be dropped down a place or even two.

If it means the ranking points are wrong and need to be revamped, then so be it.

 

[toonarmy]

World rankings are guff and always have been.

They reinforce the PGA's dominance rather than reflecting who is realistically playing the best golf.

Does finishing in the top 20 in a big money US event plenty of times mean you are a better golfer than the bloke who wins a few, allegedly minor, European tour events? Does it hell.

Any system that means you can retain No.1 without playing for a couple of years (as Woods was for a while) is clearly toss and should be frankly ignored.

The argument that there is a disproportionate importance placed on putting has some merit.

Who is the better golfer, the bloke who smashes it off the fairway, hacks it onto the green edge and holes a 60 footer or the bloke who splits the fairway, plops it pin high and just misses the 15 footer?

I prefer my golf to be about the whole game, not just the short stuff. I'd love to see a season with a slightly bigger hole just to see if the better golfers rose to the top and the bomb-and-wedge+hot putter brigade fell by the wayside.

In all honesty would you rather watch JB Holmes or Luke Donald play golf?

 

[thecraw]

Is Steve Stricker or Jim Furyk more deserving on recent form? I agree that the World Ranking System is all wrong, however is there a fair system when the biggest world ranking points are on offer in the States as opposed to the European and Japanese Tours?