LEE WESTWOOD Takes Top Spot. Tiger Woods is Now World No. 2

 Tiger Woods finally lost his No 1 place in the world Golf Rankings. It was inevitable, but it really is a testament to how far ahead of the pack Tiger was to have kept that ranking for so long. For now, the No 1 spot goes to Lee Westwood of England, the first European in 16 years to hold golf's top ranking. He called it the most satisfying achievement of his career. But don't sell Tiger short. He has the ability to grab it right back
    . . . June

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Tiger Woods is No. 2 as Westwood Takes Top Spot
CBS Evening News - CBS News:

The turmoil in his personal life has taken a toll on Tiger Woods. After a reign of more than five years as the world's number one golfer, Woods has dropped to second behind a player who's never won a major.

CBS News correspondent Tony Guida reports that when Woods congratulated Lee Westwood at a tournament four weeks ago, he knew Westwood was gunning for his crown. Sunday, after 281 weeks at the top, Woods is no. 1 no longer.

'Tiger clearly has not been the most dominant player in the world for a long, long time,' says CBS Sports' Jim Nantz.

It's mostly because Woods took a five-month break from competition this season. He needed time to try to patch his life back together after confessing to a series of extramarital affairs.

"I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in," Woods said in a press conference.

Elin Woods was having none of it. The couple divorced and Tiger's game fell apart. He hasn't finished higher than fourth since.

"It's hard to play with that kind of pressure," says golfer Lawrence Elliott.

Inspired by Woods, Elliott took up golf five years ago. He worked hard to make himself a 6 handicap. Elliott thinks Woods will work hard too.

"He'll be back next year strong as ever," says Elliott.

For now, the laurels go to Lee Westwood of England, the first European in 16 years to hold golf's top ranking. He called it the most satisfying achievement of his career.

"The game went younger and it went global," says Nantz.

Nantz notes Westwood is just one of a new crop of top players who will challenge Woods for supremacy, but Nantz says don't bet against Woods.

"You never sell Tiger Woods short when it comes to what he's going to do in golf," says Nantz.

What Woods does this week at a tournament in Shanghai could put him right back at no. 1.

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Tiger Woods commits to Playing the Chevron World Challenge

 Well, I have to hand it to Tiger - he's trying to get back into the winning mode and I hope he succeeds before his top spot on the money list gets overtaken.  Thanks to Phil Mickelson, this gives Tiger another chance to keep his lead in the world ranking, but he'd better get busy and start winning some tournaments because it's only a matter of time before some of those smart young players catch up..
    . . . June


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Tiger Woods commits to Chevron, Phil Mickelson out of PGA Grand Slam of Golf
National golf  Examiner.com:

September 21 -- While the golf world counted down the days to Thursday’s start of (anti?) climactic FedEx Cup playoff finale, Tiger Woods added a stop to his 2010 schedule and Phil Mickelson opted out of one of his.

Following Mickelson’s turn at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club this week, Golf’s No. 1 and No. 2 will meet up in Wales at the beginning of October for the Ryder Cup and then take different routes to closing out a trying 2010 season for both

Woods commits to Chevron. Tiger, who has struggled with his mental game and shot-making since returning to golf in April, will brandish his new Sean Foley-inspired swing at the year-ending Chevron World Challenge. This, after playing in back-to-back events in China and Australia in November.

Lefty, who’s had to deal with a serious arthritic condition, will go home to rest instead of teeing it up with other 2010 major champions at next month’s PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

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Tiger Has ANOTHER Bad Start

 Tiger is having another bad start today. Up until now he's been able to keep top spot because the players who could unseat him having been playing so well either - but that could change anytime. Come on Tiger, pull up your socks! We still want to see you up there.
   . . . June

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Not even Cog Hill can spare Tiger a bad start - Golf
Yahoo! Sports: "LEMONT, Ill. (AP)

At this point in a strange season, slow starts should be nothing new to Tiger Woods.

This one came at a bad time.

The BMW Championship is the most pivotal playoff event, with the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings advancing to the Tour Championship in Atlanta to compete for the $10 million bonus. Woods is No. 51 in the standings and probably needs to finish around fifth.

He sure dug himself quite a hole.

Matt Kuchar had his best start of the year with a 7-under 64. Woods had his worst start at Cog Hill in five years.

He opened with a double bogey. He missed a 3-foot birdie putt at the turn. He squandered a birdie chance on another par 5 by hitting an iron into the trees. And he finished with a bogey from the bunker on the 18th hole, a sand shot so tough he was trying to make sure it didn’t go across the green and into the water.

“I just didn’t have much today,” Woods said.

It wasn’t much of a score—not considering it was Cog Hill, a course where Woods has won five times and had 11 consecutive rounds in the 60s until Thursday. Woods wound up with a 2-over 73 and was nine shots behind in a tie for 45th.

Stranger still was the way he looked at his position.

Woods looked at the leaderboard long enough while signing his card that he realized the immediate goal might not be who’s leading the tournament, but where he needs to finish to get enough FedEx Cup points to go to the Tour Championship.

“As of right now, I’m only five shots back of that spot,” he said. “That’s not bad. Guys aren’t going low at this place because the greens aren’t good enough to go low. Obviously, there’s a couple of players that have played well today. But overall, guys just aren’t tearing the place apart.”

Phil Mickelson wouldn’t mind doing that. Unfortunately for him, Rees Jones beat him to it.

Read on . . .