Mickelson has eye on Woods’ No. 1 ranking

By Craig Macleish - San Jose, Costa Rica      

Tiger Woods, still ranked the No. 1 golfer in the world, will be trying to bounce back from one of the worst performances of his career when he tees off at the Players Championship this week.

For just the sixth time in his PGA career, Woods missed the cut last week at Quail Hollow, as he continues a bumpy journey back to the top of his game after an amazing fall from grace over the past five months.

But Woods is the favorite heading into this week’s Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – the unofficial fifth major tournament on the tour.

PGA Betting Odds at betED.com have Woods as a +700 favorite to win the Players Championship, but right behind him is old nemesis and World No. 2 Phil Mickelson. Mickelson, who won the 2010 Masters, could leapfrog Woods into the No. 1 spot with a win this week.

With that in mind, betED.com Golf Betting is also offering Woods-Mickelson head-to-head matchup odds -- with Mickelson the favorite at -130 and Woods at +110.

Rounding out the top five overall are Jim Furyk (+2000), Quail Hollow winner Rory Mcilroy (+2000), and Lee Westwood (+2500).

Henrik Stenson won last year’s Player’s Championship but is way back at +5000 this year. Stenson’s win was his second on the PGA Tour, and he had to come from five strokes behind to earn the win, which matched the biggest comeback in PGA tournament history.

TV coverage starts on the Golf Channel on Thursday and Friday and switches to NBC on the weekend.

Check out PGA Odds at betED.com for a full list of favorites.