Tiger's No. 1 crown makes world golf rankings look ridiculous

Given all has he has gone through in the past year, it was as inevitable as death and taxes. 

At this month’s Bridge-stone World Golf Championship, a non-cut event played over 72 holes, Tiger Woods finished in a tie for second last place, with a score of 18 over par. 

Of course, someone must finish at the bottom of the heap but never before has Tiger been in that dark, lonely place. 

In his entire career, Tiger has never experienced such a feeling, whether as an amateur or professional player. To the entire golfing world, perhaps the entire world, it always seemed that area of the swimming pool was reserved for anybody but Tiger.

That said, it is probably good for him to see the other side of the fence, as it just might give him some much-needed balance. 

In fact, it is the best thing that could have happened to him — it is a signal he is now nearing the end of this less-than-pretty stretch of his life. 

We all experience thick and thin in our lives. 

Tiger has had a fair share of each, so a good rebalancing of his life and some smooth sailing is perhaps overdue. To his credit, Tiger made light of his 18 over par by comparing it to his theoretical handicap of zero. 

A handicap of zero is automatically conferred upon a golfer the moment he turns professional. 

But since a handicap is just a mathematical calculation that attempts to quantify a golfer’s scoring ability, Tiger’s actual handicap is probably somewhere around +7 or deeper.

Sadly, this only serves to make his 18 over par at Firestone that much worse.

That Tiger remains as the world’s best golfer, as measured by the world golf rankings, makes the world golf rankings look even ­sillier than they did before. 

It is difficult to come up with a mathematical system that can identify accurately, and at all times, who is the best golfer at any given time but to say Tiger is the world’s best at this time is clearly not correct. 

He was the best but has not been for some time.

For that matter, neither is the perennial golfer in waiting, Phil Mickelson, who managed a rather ugly 78 in the last round of the Bridgestone. 

All golfers struggle from time to time but should that luxury be afforded to the world’s best golfer or the one who would like to be? No, for then they are no better than you or I.