British Open 2012: Luke Donald and 4 Golfers with Most to Prove This Weekend

The 2012 British Open is rapidly approaching, and the sport of golf could be changed forever. 

From the No. 1 golfer with the weight of the world on his shoulders to the former No. 1 with an opportunity to regain elite status, there is much on the line across the board. Whether the players are entering the tournament on a high note or a cold streak, everyone has something to prove.

But who has the most on the line?

The following slides will outline the four golfers who redefine the phrase "all or nothing." Without a great performance at the British Open, their careers could take an unfortunate turn for the worst and place them in a position no one wants to be in: that of the star on the decline.

So who's up for some competition?

Luke Donald

Luke Donald is the No. 1 golfer in the world. He's also coming off a U.S. Open in which he missed the cut after shooting 11-over par through two rounds. If Donald fails to win his first major at the British Open, one can only imagine what the result will be.

Donald finished tied for fifth in the 2009 Open Championship. Three long years later, it's time for Donald to build off that success and finish better than his finish in 2011, when he missed the cut.

An end result that seems all too common in golf's major tournaments.

Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is currently on one of the worst streaks of his career. Lefty withdrew from the Memorial Tournament after shooting a seven-over 79. He proceeded to finish at 16-over par at the U.S. Open.

Missing the cut at the Greenbrier Classic just added fuel to the untamable fire.

Mickelson has always been a player that one cannot count out. He's performed as many magical comebacks and turnarounds as any other golfer on the PGA Tour. Due to this fact, Mickelson is just as much a threat to win the 2012 Open Championship as any other in the field.

A third consecutive disaster, however, could create an insurmountable wall of shame.

Lee Westwood

Lee Westwood has been torching the competition through the first half of the calendar year, collecting five top-10 finishes in eight PGA Tour events. He also won the Nordea Masters in early June and finished third in this year's Masters.

Throw in his top-10 finish in the U.S. Open and you've got yourself a serious threat for the crown.

Unfortunately, Westwood has cooled down a bit in two of his past three tournaments. The 39-year-old Englishmen finished at four-over par at The Players Championship and finished five-over at the recent Alstom Open de France.

If Westwood has his fourth consecutive over-par finish, the momentum he built through the year's first six months could be dead.

Tiger Woods

Would there be any logic behind leaving this man off the list?

Tiger Woods has been the face of golf for more than a decade. Through his greatest highs to his most extreme lows, we've never lost sight of the caliber athlete Woods has proven to be. We've idolized him, we've ostracized him and we've forced a level of expectation upon him that no athlete has ever experienced.

As we enter the Open Championship, Tiger Woods has a chance to prove himself worthy of the remaining hype and reclaim what many feel is rightfully his: the No. 1 spot in the world.

Per a report via Bill Pennington of the New York Times, Tiger Woods can reclaim the world's first overall ranking with a victory at the British Open. While we all expected him to reach this level, no one actually thought it could be done after the tumultuous ride he's taken over the longest two years of his life.

In the matter of a weekend, he can right all wrongs and re-establish himself as the greatest the world has to offer.