Scott topples Tiger Woods as world No. 1

Adam Scott officially replaced Tiger Woods as world number one golfer today, ending the American's 60 week reign on the top of the rankings.

Scott, 33, is the first Australian to be world number one since his boyhood hero Greg Norman, who spent 331 weeks in the position in the 1980s and '90s.

The 2013 Masters champion was inactive last week, but was already assured of taking top spot with Woods sidelined with a long-standing back problem.

Playing in the Byron Nelson Championship, American Matt Kuchar could also have moved ahead of Woods, but tied for seventh and had to settle for fourth spot in the rankings.

Scott has not won a tournament since his historic victory at Augusta National 13 months ago, but he has benefitted from the absence of Woods, who said recently he still does not know when he will return to competition following surgery on his back.

Woods returned to the top of the world rankings in March, 2013, taking over from Rory McIlory and he has been there ever since.

The American has spent a total of 683 weeks as the world's best during the course of his career.

Scott becomes the 17th player to become world number one since Germany's Bernhard Langer was the first in 1986.

He's the fourth player to overtake a rival for the top spot in a week in which he isn't playing, joining England's Lee Westwood and Nick Faldo and Welshman Ian Woosnam.

"The ranking system is just the way it is," Scott said of the two-year revolving points system that makes his ascension possible. "It's a very hard system to perfect with tours all over the world."

World golf rankings issued today:
1. Adam Scott (AUS)          7.9936pts
2. Tiger Woods (USA)         7.8495
3. Henrik Stenson (SWE)      7.7203
4. Matt Kuchar (USA)         7.1229
5. Bubba Watson (USA)        7.0429
6. Jason Day (AUS)           6.6067
7. Sergio Garcia (ESP)       6.2649
8. Justin Rose (ENG)         6.1097
9. Jordan Spieth (USA)       6.0949
10. Rory McIlroy (NIR)       5.7644
11. Phil Mickelson (USA)     5.7570
12. Jim Furyk (USA)          5.4783
13. Zach Johnson (USA)       5.3312
14. Dustin Johnson (USA)     4.9370
15. Graeme McDowell (NIR)    4.2574
16. Steve Stricker (USA)     4.2573
17. Jimmy Walker (USA)       4.2071
18. Charl Schwartzel (RSA)   4.1899
19. Luke Donald (ENG)        4.0114
20. Ian Poulter (ENG)        3.9586