Funny how that works out. Scott blew four chances to replace Woods. Now, he will become the fifth man to top the rankings while not playing.
It's a mathematical certainty that Scott will ascend. Not that he is all that concerned.
"It's a nice feather in the cap," Scott said. "I mean, if I was never world No. 1 when I'm this close, I'd be disappointed. But I'd also much rather win the U.S. Open and not be No. 1 at all this year. That's what it comes down to."
Even so, being No. 1 should not be dismissed. It doesn't define the best player in the world, rather who has performed the best over the most recent two-year period.
Scott has done Australia proud.
Here are the first-round tee times for players who will play the Byron Nelson Championship at TPC Four Seasons Resort in Irving, Texas. All times ET. * -- starts play on the back nine.
8 a.m.: Cameron Beckman, Tim Herron, Brian Harman; Shawn Stefani*, Brendon Todd*, Greg Owen*
8:10 a.m.: Joe Ogilvie, Scott McCarron, Justin Hicks; Andres Romero*, Greg Chalmers*, Michael Putnam*
8:20 a.m.: Sean O’Hair, Matt Bettencourt, Ryan Palmer; D.J. Trahan*, Jeff Overton*, Nicholas Thompson*
8:30 a.m.: Marc Leishman, Louis Oosthuizen, Vijay Singh; Dustin Johnson*, Jason Dufner*, Justin Leonard*
8:40 a.m.: John Senden, Boo Weekley, Charles Howell III; Harris English*, Jordan Spieth*, Sang-Moon Bae*
8:50 a.m.: Derek Ernst, John Huh, Tim Clark; John Merrick*, Johnson Wagner*, Bryce Molder*
9 a.m.: J.J. Henry, Carl Pettersson, David Toms; D.A. Points*, Ted Potter Jr., Jhonattan Vegas
9:10 a.m.: Freddie Jacobson, Brendon de Jonge, 9:10, Brice Garnett; John Daly*, Briny Baird*, Danny Lee*
9:20 a.m.: Aaron Baddeley, Trevor Immelman, Rod Pampling; Spencer Levin*, Ryo Ishikawa*, Richard H. Lee*
9:30 a.m.: Stephen Ames, Charlie Wi, Erik Compton; Steve Flesch*, Tag Ridings*, Robert Streb*
9:40 a.m.: Eric Axley, Bud Cauley, Tyrone VanAswegen; Andrew Loupe*, Peter Malnati*, Edward Loar*
9:50 a.m.: Chris Smith, Andrew Svoboda, Will Wilcox; Bobby Gates*, Wes Roach*, Stuart Deane*
10 a.m.: Benjamin Alvarado, Gary Christian, Colt Knost; Troy Merritt*, Billy Hurley III*, Jason Allred*
1 p.m.: Troy Matteson, Daniel Chopra, Steve Marino: John Rollins*, David Duval*, Ricky Barnes*
1:10 p.m.: James Hahn, John Mallinger, Jim Renner; Graham DeLaet*, Josh Teater*, Chad Collins*
1:20 p.m.: Robert Garrigus, Ryuji Imada, Peter Hanson; Brian Davis*, Martin Flores*, Morgan Hoffmann*
1:30 p.m.: Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland, Keegan Bradley; Alex Cejka*, Rory Sabbatini*, Angel Cabrera*
1:40 pm.: Martin Kaymer, Jimmy Walker, Brandt Snedeker; Steven Bowditch*, Ryan Moore*, Charl Schwartzel*
1:50 p.m.: Ken Duke, Harrison Frazar, Mike Weir; Kyle Stanley*, Jonathan Byrd*, Robert Allenby*
2 p.m.: Brian Gay, Ben Curtis, Brendan Steele; Charlie Beljan*, Tommy Gainey*, Retief Goosen*
2:10 p.m.: Tim Petrovic, Dicky Pride, Kris Blanks; Heath Slocum*, Padraig Harrington*, Brian Stuard*
2:20 p.m.: Ben Crane, Chad Campbell, James Driscoll; Paul Casey*, Luke Guthrie*, John Peterson*
2:30 p.m.: Miguel Angel Carballo, Bronson La’Cassie, Case Cochran; Alex Prugh*, Mark Anderson*, Lee Williams*
2:40 p.m.: Doug LaBelle II, Brad Fritsch, Kevin Tway; Jim Herman*, Kevin Foley*, Will Strickler*
2:50 p.m.: Scott Gardiner, Alex Aragon, Marcel Siem; Jamie Lovemark*, Patrick Cantlay*, Chris Thompson*
3 p.m.: Brooks Koepka, Tim Wilkinson, Alex Carpenter; Kevin Kisner*, Hudson Swafford*, Scottie Scheffler*
Contributing: Associated Press, Golf.com
