Promoted to highest rank

World Rankings: Paul Gallagherlooks at the 12 players who have topped the world ranking list since its inception in 1986.

TO UNDERSTAND the mechanics and formulas of golf's official world ranking system would require an intellect approaching that of Einstein. Better not to bother and just accept that they work.

The world rankings have been in operation for 22 years, when Bernhard Langer first topped the standings on April 6th, 1986. Since then only 11 other players have led the rankings, some for longer than others. Tom Lehman made the exclusive list for his one week in the sun in April 1997, whereas Tiger Woods is currently so far ahead he could take a lengthy sabbatical and still return to find his name on top of the pile.

Padraig Harrington might be the only Irishman at the top end of the rankings (12th) just now, but recent Irish winners Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Damien McGrane, have made significant moves in the right direction. Towards the end of 2005, when McGinley won the season-ending Volvo Masters, he, Clarke and Harrington were all inside the world's top 25.

We take a closer look at the dozen players from nine different countries with the rare distinction of being the number one player in the world.

Tiger Woods (United States) (494 weeks)

This was supposed to be the year Woods completed the Grand Slam but Trevor Immelman quickly put a stop to that at Augusta. That said, few would bet against the game's best player eventually overtaking Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors from his current haul of 13 (Masters - 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005; US PGA - 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007; British Open - 2000, 2005, 2006; US Open - 2000, 2005).

When referring to Woods' achievements there is a danger of running out of superlatives. He has been the number one player in the world for 494 weeks in total and is currently on a 162-week unbroken run. Vjiay Singh ended a 264-week run in 2004. After just 42 weeks as a pro he became the fastest player to assume the top spot June 1997.

After significant swing changes with then coach Butch Harmon towards the end of the last millennium, Woods (32) completed the "Tiger Slam" by holding all four majors at one time. However, as the Masters win came in 2001, with the other three won the previous year, it was not considered the genuine Grand Slam.

Selective in his scheduling, Woods won eight times from nine starts before this year's Masters, the sort of form that suggests the next major is just around the corner.

Greg Norman (Australia) (331 weeks)

For such a successful entrepreneur and second only to Tiger Woods in time spent at the top of the world rankings, it is still difficult to get away from calling Greg Norman an underachiever in golf. For all his talents and swashbuckling ways "The Shark" only won two British Opens, in 1986 and 1993.

Of the majors that glaringly got away, Norman could do little about Bob Tway's pitch-in from a greenside bunker to lose the 1986 US PGA Championship. The same can be said of the 1987 Masters when Larry Mize holed a most unlikely pitch during the play-off - he lost play-offs in all four majors. However, Norman was never the same after gifting Nick Faldo the 1996 Masters when he collapsed to a 78 in the final round.

Norman first held the number one spot after his British Open win in 1986 and in a 12-year period was the game's topped ranked player on 11 occasions and for a total of 331 weeks.

These days Norman's wealthy jet-setting lifestyle focuses primarily on his many business interests, but on occasion he dusts off the clubs and two weeks ago he finished tied 14th at the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai where Darren Clarke won.

Nick Faldo (England) (97 weeks)

Nick Faldo claims he was inspired by watching Jack Nicklaus compete at the 1971 Masters. The Englishman has six majors (British Open 1987, 1990, 1992, Masters 1989, 1990, 1996) to his name and is Europe's most successful golfer.

After several near misses in the majors during the 1980s Faldo decided to completely remodel his swing with David Leadbetter. Several lean years followed but he returned a more accomplished player with a swing to hold under pressure. The 50-year-old topped the world rankings for 97 weeks in all, including an unbroken run of 81 weeks from July 1992 after claiming his third Open at Muirfield.

His last major at the 1996 Masters is best remembered for the collapse of Norman. Trailing the Australian by six shots going into the final round, Faldo shot 67 to Norman's 78 to win by five. Closer to home, he also won the Irish Open three years on the trot from 1991.

This year's European Ryder Cup captain still holds the records of most Ryder Cups played (11), most matches (46) and highest points scorer of either team with 25. These days he spends much of time behind a microphone working for CBS when not designing courses or developing the Faldo Junior Series.

Severiano Ballesteros (Spain) (61 weeks)

Seve's legacy may have been diluted somewhat because of his decision to continue playing long past his sell-by date. However, at his peak this five-times major winner (three Opens, two Masters) was one of the most charismatic and flamboyant players the game has ever seen.

The Spaniard first topped the world rankings after taking over from Langer in April 1986 and up to August 1989 the 51-year-old held the top spot on six different occasions and for 61 weeks in total.

A dogged personality, Ballesteros tried to resurrect his career a number of times but eventually had to call it a day when officially announcing his retirement at last year's British Open in Carnoustie - venue of his first Open as an amateur in 1975.

These days Ballesteros dedicates his time primarily to golf course design through his family business, Amen Corner, and is also a motivational guest speaker. His time spearheading the European revival in the Ryder Cup during the 80s and 90s is the stuff of legend. He also founded the Seve Trophy, a similar style team event to the Ryder Cup between Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe.

Ian Woosnam (Wales) (50 weeks)

Ian Woosnam attributes lifting bales of hay as a teenager on the family farm for his stocky gait. And although he might not be the tallest player in the world, the diminutive Welshman was at the height of his powers when he won the 1991 US Masters. His major triumph at Augusta also marked an unbroken run of 50 weeks at the top of the world rankings.

The 50-year-old won back-to-back Irish Opens in 1988 and 1989 and has always been a crowd favourite with the Irish galleries. However, his proudest moment came at The K-Club in 2006 when he guided the European Ryder Cup team to a record-equalling 18½-9½ victory against the Americans. As a player "Woosie" competed in eight Ryder Cups and won half of them.

Instead of looking forward to the seniors tour after the highs of The K-Club, the Jersey resident spent much of last year struggling to get out of bed never mind swing a golf club. Since withdrawing from last year's Irish Open he was diagnosed with postviral fatigue syndrome, otherwise known as ME. Woosnam made his competitive return and senior debut at the Barbados Open in March and finished a creditable fifth.

Nick Price (Zimbabwe) (44 weeks)

Nick Price was blessed with one of the quickest tempos and technically efficient swings in the game. He was certainly in the groove from 1992 to 1994 when the affable Zimbabwean was nigh on untouchable for the best part of two years. As hot streaks go this was one to cherish.

The 51-year-old won the first of his three majors at the 1992 US PGA Championship, nine years after he beat Jack Nicklaus for his maiden PGA Tour win at the 1983 World Series. After his major breakthrough this accomplished pilot who also enjoys fishing went on to top the US moneylist in 1993 and 1994 and was named PGA Player of the Year both seasons.

In 1994 he won the British Open at Turnberry before securing his third major at the US PGA Championship. It was at that point Price finally topped the world rankings, a position he would hold for 44 consecutive weeks. The two major triumphs only tell part of the 1994 story, for he also won five other tournaments. He holds the record of most PGA tournaments won in the 1990s (15).

Vijay Singh (Fiji) (32 weeks)

Vijay Singh is one of the hardest working professionals in the game and time spent on the range has been rewarded with three majors and over 50 titles won in 16 different countries. The Fijian appears aloof to many but this single-minded attitude enabled him to overtake Woods at the top of the world rankings, a position he has held on three different occasions and for 32 weeks in all.

Before joining the PGA Tour in 1993 the 45-year-old traversed the globe and cut his teeth on the minor tours in Asia and Europe. Seven years after turning pro he finally earned his European Tour card at the 1989 qualifying school at the second time of asking.

Almost a decade later Singh's drive and determination was rewarded when he won his first major at the 1998 US PGA Championship. He won the Masters in 2000 before winning the US PGA for a second time in 2004.

He topped the 2003 US Moneylist but 2004 was to prove another highpoint as he won a staggering nine times and broke through the $10 million barrier in prizemoney. By winning the Deutsche Bank in September 2004 he ended Woods' 264-week run at the top of the world rankings.

Fred Couples (United States) (16 weeks)

Fred Couples first held the number one spot in the world for one week in March 1992, just weeks before his only major triumph at the Masters. By donning the green jacket he recaptured the top spot and held it for another 15 weeks. Since making his debut at Augusta in 1983 he tied the record for consecutive cuts made - 23 with Gary Player - when challenging to become the oldest winner in 2006, aged 46. On that occasion he was unable to keep pace with the eventual winner Phil Mickelson and tied third.

This season Couples regained some form of old when he tied eighth at the Buick Invitational then tied fourth in the Shell Houston Open the week before Augusta.

David Duval (United States) (15 weeks)

David Duval may not have the most orthodox swing but his attacking style often meant shooting very low rounds. In 1999 he carded a final round 59 when he eagled the 18th to win the Bob Hope Classic.

The previous year Duval had topped the 1998 US moneylist and was a serious challenger to Woods. The two friends also teamed up in 2000 to win the World Cup for the United States. He won 13 PGA events in all but the 36-year-old's finest hour came in 2001 when won the British Open at Royal Lytham St Annes. By this stage Duval had already been number one in the world for a 14-week stint from March 1999, before regaining the top spot for a further week in August.

Duval rarely plays competitive golf these days and a recurring back injury doesn't help matters. However, he holds the unique distinction of winning the 1999 Players Championship on the same day his father Bob won on the Champions Tour.

Ernie Els (South Africa) (9 weeks)

It may come as a surprise to learn that Ernie Els has only held the number one spot for nine weeks in total during a 12-month period from June 1997. But then again Els, like the rest of his peers, had to contend with an emerging Tiger Woods.

By 1997 the South African had secured his second US Open title, adding to his first in 1994 and both times he denied Colin Montgomerie. The 38-year-old won his third major at the 2002 British Open at Muirfield.

With over 50 victories worldwide, "The Big Easy" is considered one of the true global players of the modern game. Always a supporter of the European Tour the Wentworth resident won the Order of Merit in 2003 and 2004 and could have made it a hat-trick had he not damaged ligaments in his left knee during a sailing accident in 2005.

Els is currently number three in the world and is recognised as one of the few players capable of challenging Woods dominance.

Bernhard Langer (Germany) (3 weeks)

It's little wonder this evergreen of world golf made a seamless transition to the senior circuit after turning 50 last August. Within two months Bernhard Langer won his first Champions Tour event (Administaff Small Business Classic) and this year the German leads the standings with $964,861 in earnings and two wins under his belt, the Toshiba Classic and the Ginn Championship.

Langers two majors came at the Masters in 1985 and 1993 plus he went close a number of times at the British Open - runner-up twice and third on four other occasions and has won over 70 tournaments worldwide. His three-week stint at number one came in April 1986 when the rankings were first introduced. Hes the only player to share two events - 2002 Volvo Masters with Colin Montgomerie and 1986 Lancome Trophy with Seve Ballesteros - due to the play-offs ending in darkness.

Langer has played in 10 Ryder Cups and been on the winning side five times. As captain he led Europe to a record 18½-9½ win at Oakland Hills in 2004. Although he famously missed the decisive putt in the 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island, Langer is one of the most resilient players in the game who overcame the yips and is still going strong today.

Tom Lehman (United States) (1 week)

In such esteemed company Tom Lehman appears the poor man's relation as the American was the top-ranked player in the world for just one week. The 49-year-old led the standings in April 1997 after he tied 12th at the Masters. However, he laid the groundwork the previous year when tied second at the 1996 US Open before going one better at the British Open at Royal Lytham St Anne's. After his Open success he went on to win the Tour Championship before being named player of the year.

Between 1985 and 1991 he had to ply his trade on mini-tours in places like Asia and South Africa. In 1991 he also played the Ben Hogan Tour, the secondary tour in America, and topped the money list to get back on the main PGA Tour, where he has been ever since.

IRISH PLACINGS

The top 12 Irish players in the current world rankings

Pos Player Pts

12 Padraig Harrington 5.04

63 Graeme McDowell 1.97

114 Darren Clarke 1.36

159 Peter Lawrie 1.10

160 Paul McGinley 1.09

163 Damien McGrane 1.07

209 Rory McIlroy 0.85

378 Gary Murphy 0.40

360 Michael Hoey 0.43

507 Stephen Browne 0.28

530 Colm Moriarty 0.26

435 Gareth Maybin 0.34

The 12 players who have held the world number one spot

1 Woods (494 weeks)

2 Norman (331)

3 Faldo (97)

4 Ballesteros (61)

5 Woosnam (50)

6 Price (44)

7 Singh (32)

8 Couples (16)

9 Duval (15)

10 Els (9)

11 Langer (3)

12 Lehman (1)