Woods to lose No. 1 ranking next week

VIRGINIA WATER, England, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are poised to take golf's world No. 1 ranking from Tiger Woods.

Woods had been ranked No. 1 for the last 281 weeks -- and 623 weeks overall -- but the reign is about to end. If Kaymer, who moved past Phil Mickelson and into third in the world golf rankings released Monday, finishes no worse than a two-way tie for second at the European Tour's Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Spain, he will be the new No. 1.

However, if Kaymer doesn't finish that high, Westwood, even though he's out with an injury, would become the 13th player to be ranked No. 1.

Woods still has the top spot, Westwood is second and Kaymer has reached No. 3, sending Mickelson to fourth.

The rest of the Top 10 is unchanged as the 2010 season winds down. Steve Stricker is fifth with Jim Furyk in sixth and Paul Casey in seventh. The No. 8 place belongs to Luke Donald while Rory McIlroy sits in ninth and Matt Kuchar completes the Top 10.