Tiger Woods has spent no less than 270 weeks at the top as the number one golfer in the world. Like all good things, it’s about to come to an end following two less than glorious rounds of golf at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. After starting a firm favourite for this event, his betting odds have drifted out to 200/1 – and that’s only if you can find a bookie willing to take your bet. Most of the golf betting bookmakers have taken him off their betting sheets for this event.

Phil Mickelson needs to finish in the top four while Tiger Woods needs to finish outside the top 44 if Mickelson is to take that coveted number one ranking. At present, Mickelson is sitting in second place while Woods is at 77th, some 13 shots off the lead. His form over the first two days doesn’t suggest he can make much of a dent in that difference either.

This golf course has been dominated by Woods in the past with a record of seven victories from eight tournaments. His opening round of 4 over had him in equal last place after day one – he did improve by two shots on day two, but at 13 shots off the lead, he doesn’t seem to have that mental hardness about him to make an impact this time around.

Mickelson is 5/2 favourite to win ahead of the current club-house leader Retief Goosen at 11/2 and Rory McIlroy at 16/1. Lee Westwood was another that had an outside chance of taking the number one title, however, his bid has come to an end following an injury that has forced him to pull out of the event.

On current form, Goosen will be hard to beat and, given his record this season of 7 top ten finishes without a win, he is overdue. His betting odds are also pretty good value as well, with each-way markets for a top five finish pricing him at around 11/8. He would need to collapse in a heap not to finish in the top five from here so that too looks to be a value bet. As for Tiger Woods – bookies are already offering 6/1 about his chances of ever regaining his number one ranking. At present, I wouldn’t take 100/1 – at least, not until he shows some mental toughness on the tees.