NORTON, Mass. — Phil Mickelson isn't the only player capable of going to No. 1 in the world this week.
According to early projections from the Official World Golf Ranking, Steve Stricker can become No. 1 for the first time in his career if he were to win the Deutsche Bank Championship, Tiger Woods finished out of the Top 9 and Mickelson was out of Top 3. Stricker is the defending champion at the TPC Boston.
Mickelson will try for the 10th time this year to topple Woods in the ranking. That would require a victory; runner-up with Woods out of the Top 3; third place with Woods out of the Top 9 or fourth place with Woods out of the top 24, provided Stricker doesn't win.
Woods has been No. 1 for the last 273 weeks, dating to the week before the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.