Tiger Woods has huge extra incentive to win US PGA

Just weeks after ending an 11-year winless drought in golf’s major championships, Tiger Woods has a chance of winning yet another at this week’s US PGA. 

The 43-year-old knows that a victory this week will put him on 16 majors and within two of equalling Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18.

However, that’s not all that’s at stake for Woods this week.

Should he win at Bethpage – the scene of his 2002 US Open success – he could very possibly return to world No.1.

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Woods, who is currently sixth on the Official World Golf Ranking, can return to the top of the standings for the first time in exactly five years if he wins this week and current No.1 Dustin Johnson finishes worse than solo 11th, and neither Brooks Koepka nor Justin Rose finish solo second.

Woods, who has spent a record 683 weeks – over 13 years – as world No.1 during his career, last sat on top of the pile on May 17, 2014. He was succeeded the next day by Aussie Adam Scott.

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Since then, the top spot has changed hands 24 times, including four this year alone.

Should Johnson hold on to the top spot, meantime, he will close to within four weeks of leapfrogging Rory McIlroy into fourth place on the all-time list of weeks as world No.1.

McIlroy, who has spent a total of 95 weeks atop the standings trails only Woods, Greg Norman (331) and Sir Nick Faldo (97) for most weeks spent as world No.1 in the OWGR era.