Yesterday I put together a brief post on how Luke Donald winning the Volvo Match Play Championships and earning the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) could and should happen. Nothing against Lee Westwood, but it just doesn’t feel right with him holding the top spot. For my money, Donald has outplayed everyone else 0n the planet in 2011.
That said, Westwood will hold the top spot for another week after Donald fell to Ian Poulter in the final match of the Volvo event. Donald has now had opportunities to secure the top spot slip away via a playoff loss to Brandt Snedeker and this loss at the hands of Poulter. You can’t really come closer than Donald has come to the top spot without taking it.
It may take another week or two — but somewhere along the line the current best player in the world is going to hold the official title. It would be a shame if Luke doesn’t get to the top of the OWGR after his impressive year.
Last season, when Phil had 2-3 opps to overtake Tiger with a victory and failed to do so, the media hammered him. Luke has had at least 2 opps to do so with a win, has finished second and the attitude of the scribes has seemingly changed. Now that we all admit (via therapy) that we were spoiled by Tiger Woods’ consistent march to victory, we can redefine our expectations of the world’s #1 and if we even care at all.