{"id":366897,"date":"2011-04-04T13:30:18","date_gmt":"2011-04-04T13:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/04\/golf-double-incentive-for-five-masters-favourites-reuters\/"},"modified":"2011-04-04T13:30:18","modified_gmt":"2011-04-04T13:30:18","slug":"golf-double-incentive-for-five-masters-favourites-reuters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/04\/golf-double-incentive-for-five-masters-favourites-reuters\/","title":{"rendered":"Golf-Double incentive for five Masters favourites (Reuters)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By Tony Jimenez<\/p>\n

LONDON, April 4 (Reuters) – Lee Westwood<\/a>, Phil Mickelson<\/a>,
\nLuke Donald<\/a>, Graeme McDowell<\/a> and Tiger Woods<\/a> have extra
\nincentive to win the U.S. Masters this week.<\/p>\n

Such is the logjam at the top of the world rankings, all
\nfive have the opportunity to leapfrog number one Martin Kaymer<\/a>
\nif the German fails to land the coveted Green Jacket at Augusta
\nNational.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are six players who could be the number one next
\nweek, that\u2019s how flexible things have become,\u201d said Tony Greer,
\nwho helps compile the rankings.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt all depends on what Kaymer does, of course, but there
\nare so many combinations. The only player in the top seven who
\ncan\u2019t overtake Kaymer is (number six) Paul Casey<\/a>,\u201d Greer told
\nReuters on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can\u2019t quite do it because the points are divided by the
\nnumber of events played and (number seven) Woods has got a very
\nlow events played criteria whereas Casey\u2019s is higher.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mickelson rose to third in the rankings after his Houston
\nOpen win on Sunday, behind Kaymer and Westwood and just ahead of
\nfourth-ranked Donald and number five McDowell.<\/p>\n

It is the first time in 14 years Mickelson has gone ahead of
\narch rival Woods in the rankings.<\/p>\n

Woods, without a victory since the 2009 Australian Masters,
\nhas also plunged to his lowest position since he romped to a
\n12-shot victory at the 1997 Masters.<\/p>\n

According to British bookmakers William Hill, Mickelson has
\nnow replaced his fellow American as the punters\u2019 favourite.<\/p>\n

The odds on the left-hander retaining his Masters title this
\nweekend have been cut from 9-1 to 13-2 following his victory in
\nHouston while Woods has drifted to 10-1.<\/p>\n

PUNTERS\u2019 PAL<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are seeing four bets on Mickelson to every one bet
\nplaced on Tiger. His days as the punters\u2019 pal are definitely
\nover \u2026 for now,\u201d said Hill\u2019s spokesman Rupert Adams.<\/p>\n

With the top 55 players due to compete at the first major of
\nthe season, Greer said this year\u2019s Masters field was the
\nstrongest since the world rankings were launched 25 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe qualification criteria probably wasn\u2019t as good in 1986
\nas it is now,\u201d said Greer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the last 25 years something like 16 Masters have been
\nwon by someone in the top five of the rankings. It\u2019s a
\ntournament the leading players win.<\/p>\n

\u201cZach Johnson<\/a> in 2007 and Angel Cabrera<\/a> in 2009 are the only
\nplayers outside the top 50 who have won the Masters since 1986.\u201d<\/p>\n

Greer also said the European representation at Augusta this
\nweek underlined how the balance of power in world golf had
\nshifted in the past 25 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we started the rankings in 1986 only three Europeans
\nmade it to Augusta,\u201d he explained. \u201cThis year there are 26
\nEuropeans playing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were eight Europeans in the top 50 of the rankings
\nwhen we started and now there are 18\u2014exactly the same as the
\nU.S.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Editing by Mark Meadows; To query or comment on this story
\nemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Read the original:
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By Tony Jimenez LONDON, April 4 (Reuters) – Lee Westwood , Phil Mickelson , Luke Donald , Graeme McDowell and Tiger Woods have extra incentive to win the U.S. Masters this week. 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