There was a bit of speculation this week about why the Mole didn't have more to say about Martin Kaymer overtaking Lee Westood as world No 1. Well basically it's because Westwood is just going to get it back this weekend at the Honda Classic.

Martin Kaymer is absent this weekend, which means that all Lee Westwood needs is a third-place finish or better at the Honda Classic in Florida this weekend to take back his No 1 spot.

Interestingly Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have also decided to take time off this week, which gives Rory McIlroy an open shot at getting into the top five for the first time in his career.

The eighth-ranked Northern Irishman needs a victory to leapfrog Woods at five, Mickelson at six and the absent Paul Casey at seven.

A McIlroy win would also give Europe a grip on the top five positions for the first time since 1992 when Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, Seve

Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer dominated the world order.
If Ian Poulter is to win the Honda Classic on the other hand, his rise in the rankings would put seven Europeans in the top 10.

The Americans are going to have to work incredibly hard to not be forgotten about at this stage.

And there is something about Phil Mickelson, he just can't get ahead of Tiger in the rankings for some reason.

He hasn't been ahead of Woods since Tiger won the 1997 Masters. He had numerous opportunities last year, but failed at every hurdle and even now with Tiger falling down the list, Mickelson seems to follow just one position behind Woods.

It wont last though, Tiger’s fall is going to become more and more dramatic the more the months wear on. The same formula that is used to calculate the world rankings that held Woods at the top for so long despite very poor results is going to come back to haunt him. At this stage Woods needs to repeat a successful 2009 year in which he won six tournaments just to stay where he is on the rankings.

Highly unlikely. The question now is, just how far will he fall?

TV Schedule

Thursday

US Tour: Honda Classic Day 1

22:00-01:00 – SuperSport 1
22:00-01:00 – SuperSport HD
23:00-01:00 – CSN

Friday

US Tour: Honda Classic Day 2

22:00-01:00 – SuperSport 6
22:00-01:00 – SuperSport HD

Saturday

US Tour: Honda Classic Day 3

20:00-01:00 – SuperSport 6
20:00-01:00 – SuperSport HD
21:00-01:00 – CSN

Sunday

US Tour: Honda Classic Day 4

20:00-01:00 – SuperSport 1
20:00-01:00 – SuperSport HD
20:30-01:00 – CSN

Betting

US Tour: Honda Classic

Favourites

14/1 – Lee Westwood
14/1 – Luke Donald
14/1 – Graeme McDowell
16/1 – Matt Kuchar
16/1 – Rory McIlroy

Southern Africans

33/1 – Ernie Els
45/1 – Charl Schwartzel
66/1 – Louis Oosthuizen
66/1 – Brendon de Jonge
70/1 – Rory Sabbatini
125/1 – Trevor Immelman
300/1 – Nick Price

Underdog

1000/1 – Duffy Waldorf