Guess who's still No. 1?

[ManchesterGolfer]

I would agree with this statement although I'm sure it would drive Finchem and the PGA Tour nut to have their hot young stars playing somewhere other than a PGA Tour sanctioned event.

I guess what I keep coming back to is that Westwood doesn't feel like the No. 1 Player in the world. The last time Tiger lost the No.1 spot it took Vijay having something like 25 wins in 3 seasons to do it, including 10 or 12 the year he took it. And while I don't think winning a major is required to be no 1, performance in majors I think should be a big factor. I mean, Greg Norman was No 1 for something like 5 yrs-need we say more?

I see what your saying but this Tiger is a different Tiger from last time he was replaced at the top last time it was when will tiger be back to #1... This time Westwood currently has it and there are a whole host of players in line who could make a charge at it over the next 12 months exciting times for sure.

Surley the men who run the PGA Tour can see that travel should be a part of a youngster's growing. They would work a schedule so they played all the big events in the US but maybe play 5-6 times on the Euro Tour which could be Europe, Middle East or China now'a'days. I was suprised not many of them came to play at Celtic Manor in the Welsh Open this year to get a taste of the course and settings. Alot of the young British players who have US Tour cards still have a Euro Tour card and just play the minimum number of events.... all the WGC and Major's count on both tours so it's not many after that but I think it helps them develop.

 

[BigJim13]

I see what your saying but this Tiger is a different Tiger from last time he was replaced at the top last time it was when will tiger be back to #1... This time Westwood currently has it and there are a whole host of players in line who could make a charge at it over the next 12 months exciting times for sure.

Surley the men who run the PGA Tour can see that travel should be a part of a youngster's growing. They would work a schedule so they played all the big events in the US but maybe play 5-6 times on the Euro Tour which could be Europe, Middle East or China now'a'days. I was suprised not many of them came to play at Celtic Manor in the Welsh Open this year to get a taste of the course and settings. Alot of the young British players who have US Tour cards still have a Euro Tour card and just play the minimum number of events.... all the WGC and Major's count on both tours so it's not many after that but I think it helps them develop.

I absolutely see what you're saying and see how it could be good for a young player. I would be shocked if the PGA Tour endorsed this though, they are all about PGA Tour events and helping them grow and/or prosper. I would bet that Finchem would not be happy one bit even if the Euro tour scheduled events like Celtic Manor on weeks when say the Valero Texas Open is being played-meaning a second tier PGA event that not many big names show up at.

 

[TheTrueReview]

....

Surley the men who run the PGA Tour can see that travel should be a part of a youngster's growing. ...

Perhaps, not just a youngster's development. I was listening to a golf commentator the other day (think it was Gary Player), who remarked that a professional golfer must be able to play on the different courses/conditions around the world.

I've thought for a while that a lot of PGA Tour players are like pampered pooches. A little rain? The officials blow the horn. Playing overseas? Duh - that must mean Hawaii. Next event? 50 miles down the road & choice of jet or limo for the trip.

Journeymen like the great Walter Hagen must be turning in their graves.

 

[IrishGolfer]

Picked up on an interesting interview with World #1.

"Golf is played between the ears and if you are not 100 per cent focused on what you are trying to do, then people will go past you no matter who you are. The fact is I have shown the best form over the last couple of years, so deserve to be No 1. Professional sport is very volatile and people can't be great for ever. We all go through ups and downs and Tiger is no exception. And, remember, someone still had to play very, very well to succeed him - and that was me. And, remember, since I became No 1, I have finished second, third and first and there's a lot of people who wish they could have that sort of consistency.

RB: But what do you say to people who can't take you seriously as No 1?

LW: Because I haven't won a Major? See, I could do this interview for you!

RB: OK, you guessed the question but what's the answer?

LW: People confuse being world No 1 with winning a Major championship. But winning a Major doesn't make you the best player in the world. No, being the best player in the world is all about consistency - just look at the world rankings. I have way more points than anyone else. And if you look at the number of tournaments, you'll see I have played five, six, seven tournaments LESS than most other people - and yet I'm still world No 1.

RB: So would you rather stay world No 1 throughout 2011 OR win a Major?

LW: Well, I've been world No 1 now and I've never won a Major so, obviously, I would like to win one. But I wouldn't swap world No 1 for a Major, no way. Yes, a Major would mean so much to me but I'm a great believer that if you work hard and in the right way, you will get what you deserve. I also know I could easily be sat here with three Major championships right now but the harsh fact is I'm sitting here with none. That gets on my nerves but it is not as if I'm failing to give myself opportunities in big events. In The Masters, I finished second and was in the last group on the last day. In the Players Championship, I finished fourth and, again, was in the last group on the last day. At The Open, I finished second and, in the World Golf Championship in China, I finished second, too. So I'm fairly sure I will do it and if it's in April, I will be delighted - but I'm not putting pressure on myself. I'm 37, I'm pretty fit and feel I have another eight years left - which means there's 32 Majors still to go at.

Hmmm, I'm sure that will lead to some more debate.

 

[TheTrueReview]

I kinda agree. No question that winning a major would be great but winning a major didn't make Bob Tway or Larry Mize, No. 1 in the world. Neither are thought of as greats of the game.

 

[BigJim13]

I don't buy that he wouldn't swap world No. 1 for a major either. I am very surprised by that.

 

[Stanters]

I suppose what he is saying is that he'd prefer to remain #1 throughout 2011 as that would mean he'd have had an awesome year from pillar to post. Would he rather win The Masters, say, and then have a wretched year? I'm not sure. Especially as he hit the depths before and it was a long road back.

Pretty lazy and boring questioning really, the whole "How can he be #1 without winning a Major?" line has got tedious now. If you can't distinguish between the two criteria then you're probably better off keeping out of the debate.

 

[MCDavis]

I'm sure there a plenty of major winners who would love to have been World #1 at some point.

To me, winning a major is sweet, but it's still just winning a tournament of your peers. Being World #1 means you are recognized as the very best of your peers. Which would you really rather have if you could only have 1?

 

[slickpitt]

I think he's full of shit. He would trade a major for that imaginary #1 ranking in a heartbeat.

Ask McDowell if he'd like to give up his US Open trophy for a #1 ranking... HA! NOT!

Ask Kymer is he'd give up his PGA Champ trophy... I DON'T THINK SO SCOOTER!!!

I love how full of himself LW is now.

 

[SiberianDVM]

If you take a look at this list: List of men's major championships winning golfers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
then it's pretty obvious that the best golfers in the world have also won a lot of majors, and that almost any good tour golfer can win a major......once.

Westwood has a legitimate claim for 2010 (The Year of the Tabby Cat), but he'd better man up and figure out how to win at least 2 big ones, starting in Augusta, if he wants to retain that title any meanigful time in 2011.

 

[Stanters]

If you take a look at this list: List of men's major championships winning golfers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
then it's pretty obvious that the best golfers in the world have also won a lot of majors, and that almost any good tour golfer can win a major......once.

Westwood has a legitimate claim for 2010 (The Year of the Tabby Cat), but he'd better man up and figure out how to win at least 2 big ones, starting in Augusta, if he wants to retain that title any meanigful time in 2011.

Well he would if the two ran side by side....but they don't....so he doesn't have to, other than perform week in week out.

Few would have arugued that Greg Norman wasn't a worthy #1 over his 5 year span, yet he hardly tore up the Majors. The two things are seperate, a Major may add a little gravitas but no more than that.

 

[BigJim13]

I guess what I keep coming back to is this.

Excluding this year, was there another year when Tiger was #1 that you thought "hmmmm, well sure he's ranked #1 but he's not really the best player in the world."

If LW were really the best player in the world this conversation would never happen.

 

[Stanters]

I disagree...if Lee westwood was American this conversation would never happen :wink:

 

[SiberianDVM]

Well he would if the two ran side by side....but they don't....so he doesn't have to, other than perform week in week out.

Few would have arugued that Greg Norman wasn't a worthy #1 over his 5 year span, yet he hardly tore up the Majors. The two things are seperate, a Major may add a little gravitas but no more than that.

In my opinion, Greg Norman was a very good golfer, but was no where near the level of Jones, Nicklaus, Palmer, Hogan, Snead, Player, or Woods. Or even Faldo. Especially not in the majors, where the ability to handle the pressure is paramount.

Norman was the best for 5 years only because of his competion.

 

[Stanters]

#1 only because he was better than everyone else you mean?

But agreed he wasn't as good as the few best players ever to have graced this game.