Martin Kaymer heads into the season’s first Major championship as World Number One but faces a five-pronged attack for the coveted top spot at Augusta National.
Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and Tiger Woods can all displace the German this week.
Should Westwood go one better than last year and win the Masters, he will go to World Number One. Indeed a finish anywhere in the top four could potentially see the Englishman return to the top, depending on the performances of Kaymer and the other challengers to the summit.
Mickelson can become World Number One for the first time with a top two finish, and should he successfully defend his Masters title on Sunday night, he will go top if Kaymer finishes worse than second alone.
Luke Donald, winner of the Par 3 contest on the eve of the Masters yesterday, needs to win with Westwood finishing worse than second alone and Kaymer outside the top three if he is to be crowned World Number One.
US Open Champion Graeme McDowell can also reach the world’s golfing summit with victory at Augusta National if Mickelson is not second alone, Westwood is outside the top four and Kaymer finishes lower than 55th.
And Tiger Woods, now seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking, can return to the top this week if he wins a fifth Green Jacket and Mickelson is not second alone, Westwood is outside the top three and Kaymer outside the top 18.
