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Masters Golf Tournament 2011: World No. 1 Ranking Up For Grabs; Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson In The Mix

It's a free-for-all with the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings up for grabs at Augusta National Golf Course. Six different players, including plenty of big names, have a shot at the No. 1 ranking, and all they half to do is win The Masters. Seems easy, right? For players such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and current No. 1 Martin Kaymer, it's easier said than done.

According to ESPN, six of the top seven are eligible to take the No. 1 spot with a win at The Masters, with only Paul Casey unable to improve enough to take the top spot.

Martin Kaymer remains No. 1, followed by Lee Westwood, Mickelson, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Paul Casey and Woods. Casey is the only player among the top seven who could not reach No. 1 even by winning at Augusta because he has played more tournaments than Woods.

So where does the smart money lie? Kaymer has been steady and consistent, a big reason he's taken the No. 1 ranking that was synonymous with Tiger Woods. Phil Mickelson may finally be back on track and dialed in after a win at the Shell Houston Open last week, a bad sign for the rest of The Masters' field. And Woods ... well, Woods still hasn't figured his swing out, but you never know when he'll put it together and make a run.

While the big prize at Augusta is the green jacket, the race for the world No. 1 ranking is another story to keep an eye on throughout the week.

The Masters begins on Thursday at Augusta National. For more coverage, check out the rest of our Masters Golf Tournament StoryStream.