Masters 2011: Which Golfer Will Earn World No. 1 Ranking at Augusta?
By on April 4, 2011
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Masters 2011 Is a Battle for the Top Spot in World Golf Rankings
When it comes to the jugs, cups and assorted other goodies that the PGA Tour has to offer, you could argue that nothing is more prestigious than the Green Jacket one gets from winning the Masters.
The last person to earn the Green Jacket was none other than Phil Mickelson, as Lefty won the Masters for the third time in 2010. He is a heavy favorite to win the tournament once again this year, but the Green Jacket isn't the only thing he will be playing for at Augusta.
Also at stake is the honor of being the No. 1 golfer in the world. Thanks to his victory at the Shell Houston Open, Mickelson shot up to No. 3 in the latest World Golf Rankings, but he was unable to knock Martin Kaymer from the top spot.
Mickelson won't be the only player at Augusta with his eyes on the No. 1 ranking. According to Bryan Cross at SportsBookGurus.com, Mickelson is just one of six golfers who can earn the top spot with a win at the Masters.
In addition to Mickelson and Kaymer, the other players who have a shot at No. 1 are Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, and Tiger Woods. Because he is coming into the tournament as the No. 7 golfer in the world, the fact that Tiger has a shot at the top ranking is a bit of a surprise, but that obviously doesn't mean he's not capable of attaining it. After all, this is a guy who has been No. 1 for the better part of his storied career.
As for the other three, I personally think you can count Westwood out. Not winning majors is pretty much his specialty, and he hasn't looked all that great so far this season. Donald has also never won a major, but he has a win and a handful of top ten finishes under his belt in this young season. McDowell is also an intriguing possibility, but he needs to play better than he has in his last two tournaments.
If I had to pick one, I'd go with Mickelson. Winning the Masters is nothing he hasn't done before, and he's heading into the tournament with plenty of mojo. He's also never held the No. 1 ranking, and I'm willing to bet that he'd love to remedy that.
For more on the Masters, check out our countdown of The 10 Most Dramatic Finishes in Masters History.
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