His world ranking prior entering the 18-player Chevron World Challenge was 52nd.

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At last December's Chevron World Challenge, which Woods hosts, he fumbled his mojo in the final round and lost in a playoff to Graeme McDowell.

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The closest he has come to taking a title was a playoff loss to defending U.S. Open Graeme McDowell at the Chevron World Challenge last December.

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The American has shown signs of returning to form in recent times, finishing tied for third at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship last month and winning the Chevron World Challenge event he hosts in December.

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But in 2002, he added to the Tour's television lineup a tournament now called the Chevron World Challenge an end-of-season event hosted by Mr. Woods that benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, a nonprofit that funds the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim, Calif.

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Westwood could lose top spot to Tiger Woods, whom he dethroned at the end of October, if he fails to finish in the top two at the Gary Player Country Club and the American wins the Chevron World Challenge in California, where he led by four shots after the second round.

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