Last week, Lee Westwood became the number one golfer in the world, replacing Tiger Woods from a stint he had atop the Official World Rankings for more than five years.
While the system isn't perfect, people are up in arms about how a guy with two PGA Tour wins in more than 12 years can be called the top golfer in the game. Butch Harmon was quoted as saying the system "sucks," being just one of many critics about the changing of the guard.
No matter, Westwood is the top golfer in the game, and he had some choice words about all the confusion after his third round 67 at the HSBC Champions that has him in the final group of Sunday, just a shot back of leader Francesco Molinari.
"I think people have their favorites. A lot of people get confused. A lot of people get confused about Major Championships and who is the most consistent player in the world."
I know that I haven't won a Major Championship. I'm very well aware of that. But I do know I've probably played the most consistent golf in the world over the last two years, and that reflects in my World Ranking. I think that's why people get -- it's not a complicated system. It's a good system and it's a fair system, and you don't hear the players complaining about it; so it must be right."
The bottom line is, Westwood is right. The world ranking system is what the golf world has to dance with, and there isn't much you can do about it. For two years it tried to track the best golfer, and for now, that's Westwood.
I will say this; if Lee really wants to slam the door on all this talk about him being a puzzling choice up top, he could win on Sunday in a packed event with Tiger, Phil Mickelson and Martin Kaymer all around in China to witness it.
If he did that, I think the critics would quickly quiet. Sure, he hasn't won a major championship, but I'd be willing to put up a few dollars of my own money to say not a lot of guys have won an event the week they became the number one ranked golfer in the world.
Related: Martin Kaymer, Francesco Molinari, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods Email Devil Ball Golf Buzz up! digg add to facebook delicious Twitter« Prev The HSBC Champions is shaping up to be the leaderboard of the year
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