OWGR: Ranking Every World No. 1 in History

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HUMBLE, TX – MARCH 31: Lee Westwood of England waits on the 18th tee during the final round of the Shell Houston Open at the Redstone Golf Club on March 31, 2013 in Humble, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /

17. Lee Westwood

Time at the top: 22 weeks

Let’s just get the only two major-less golfers on this list out of the way early. Major championships are a somewhat arbitrary way of evaluating a golfer’s worth — there are only four of them per year — but they remain important. Still, Westwood’s total of 23 European Tour wins is eighth-best in history. Throw in two PGA Tour wins and 18 top 10s at the majors and you’ve got one heck of a career.

Runner-up finishes at the Masters and the Open Championship in 2010 helped him reach the mountaintop for 22 consecutive weeks, but like Donald, it came in an era where the ranking was slightly devalued.

If golf were played only tee to green, Westwood may have been able to extend his reign at the top and improve his fortunes in majors. Unfortunately for him, it’s not, and he may find him alongside Donald in the “Name the No. 1 golfers to never win a major” trivia question for years to come.

Next: Martin Kaymer

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