FedEx No. 1: Nick Watney

Sacramento, California native Nick Watney has had a year to remember so far in 2011, as the 30 year old maintains the FedEx Rankings No. 1 spot. Known for his smooth and technically sound stroke, Watney’s current form has made him a favorite at the British Open on July 14-17.

Nick Watney as FedEx No. 1

Nick Watney has kept his No. 1 rank in the official FedEx rankings (with an impressive 1,798 points) since his impressive victory at the AT&T National on July 3 held at the Aronimink golf Course. Finishing with a 13-under 267, Watney bested runner-up Korean K.J Choi by a solid two strokes.

His final round score of 62 was a course record at the Aronimink Golf Course and he will be hoping to carry on that momentum at the coveted British Open. Along with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and England’s Luke Donald, Watney must be considered a top contender to bring home the top prize.  

Although FedEx ranks him as the top player on the PGA Tour, the Official World Rankings are less than flattering. In early July, Watney finally made it into the World’s Top 10, where he currently sits well behind No. 1 Luke Donald.

Nick Watney's Textbook Swing

Nick Watney’s skills on the course are mostly due to his textbook smooth swing. He has what most pundits would consider the best swing in the game which translates to near perfect lies on both fairways and greens. As a result of his technically sound swing, Watney has won two events out of the 14 he has participated in, as well as 8 top-10 and 11 top-25 finishes.

Aside from his victory at the AT&T National, Watney brought home top honors at the World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championship on March 13 with a final score of 16-under 272, two strokes ahead of American Dustin Johnson. Among his more impressive performances was at THE PLAYERS, where he finished tied for fourth; however, he had a rather disappointing US Open – an important Major on the Tour – when he failed to even make the cut.

Nick Watney's Career Wins

Along with the aforementioned victories in 2011, Watney has two other PGA Tour wins under his belt. His first came at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans on April 22, 2007 when he beat Ken Duke by three strokes, finishing with a score of 15-under 273. He then had to wait almost two more years before he recorded another victory. On February 8, 2009, Watney managed to squeeze past John Rollins by one stroke to claim the prize at the Buick Invitational, with a final score of 11-under 277.