Woods’ top spot in jeopardy
Four golfers looking to dethrone 14-time Major winner.
Woods underwent surgery five weeks ago to ease a pinched nerve. keeping him from playing at last month’s Masters or defending his Players crown.PHOTO: AFP
PONTE VEDRA BEACH:
Top-ranked Tiger Woods is set to be dethroned from the rankings summit at this week’s Players Championship, with four title contenders able to replace the non-defending champion at number one.
Australian world number two Adam Scott, last year’s Masters champion, has the best chance at bumping Woods from the top spot, with Sweden’s third-ranked Henrik Stenson, reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson and fifth-ranked American Matt Kuchar all in with a shot at number one.
Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, underwent surgery five weeks ago to ease a pinched nerve. keeping him from playing at last month’s Masters or defending his Players crown.
Exactly when Woods – who has topped the rankings for 682 weeks in his career – might return to competition is uncertain.
“When Tiger is in a tournament, I don’t care what tournament it is, he dominates the media focus and that’s fine,” said the US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.
“But the negative to that is that the young players coming up don’t get the kind of attention that they need to develop and become athletes that fans really recognise, so it kind of holds back the development of our stars.” This week’s $10 million event boasts 46 of the world rankings’ top 50, with Scott needing only a top-16 effort to overtake Woods and become world number one for the first time in his life.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2014.
Top-ranked Tiger Woods is set to be dethroned from the rankings summit at this week’s Players Championship, with four title contenders able to replace the non-defending champion at number one.
Australian world number two Adam Scott, last year’s Masters champion, has the best chance at bumping Woods from the top spot, with Sweden’s third-ranked Henrik Stenson, reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson and fifth-ranked American Matt Kuchar all in with a shot at number one.
Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, underwent surgery five weeks ago to ease a pinched nerve. keeping him from playing at last month’s Masters or defending his Players crown.
Exactly when Woods – who has topped the rankings for 682 weeks in his career – might return to competition is uncertain.
“When Tiger is in a tournament, I don’t care what tournament it is, he dominates the media focus and that’s fine,” said the US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.
“But the negative to that is that the young players coming up don’t get the kind of attention that they need to develop and become athletes that fans really recognise, so it kind of holds back the development of our stars.” This week’s $10 million event boasts 46 of the world rankings’ top 50, with Scott needing only a top-16 effort to overtake Woods and become world number one for the first time in his life.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2014.