America is in decline in many ways from its economy to its culture and self-confidence but also on the golf course. Tiger Woods symbolized American greatness and glory both on and off the course, or so the image portrayed, but his fall in golf odds is emblematic with the current state of golf which is being dominated by European players. Beyond that, the European Tour is quietly becoming more important and of a higher quality than the PGA Tour in the States.

The Official World Golf Ranking has England’s Luke Donald as the number one player. Donald won two PGA Tour events this year at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic and the World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play Championship. He earned over $6.6 million this year on the PGA Tour.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Island is the number two player on the Official World Golf Rankings. McIlroy has become one of the most popular players on the PGA Tour and is a big hit with American fans. He won the US Open this year and competed in just ten PGA Tour events as he focuses primarily on the European Tour.

Lee Westwood of England is 3rd on The Official World Golf Ranking despite winning just one PGA Tour event over the past 5 years. Westwood tied for 3rd in the US Open for his best finish on the PGA Tour in 2011. Westwood dominates the European Tour and this is what makes his ranking so high.

Germany’s own Martin Kaymer is ranked 4th on the Official World Golf Ranking and like the players ahead of him, he concentrates primarily on the European Tour. Kaymer did win the 2011 World Golf Championships HSBC Champions event.

The best American is Steve Stricker, who ranks 5th on the Official World Golf Ranking and was the winner of two PGA events this year with The Memorial and the John Deere Classic. Stricker has yet to be a winner vs. the golf odds at a major tournament.

As for Tiger, he has fallen all the way down to 50th on the Official World Golf Ranking after reigning atop the board for many years. Woods last won a tournament in 2009 and finished a humiliating 132nd on the PGA Tour last year. Tiger’s career has been in a shambles with physical injuries and the mental strain of his wrecked marriage and personal life that tarnished his carefully cultivated image. Many wonder if he will ever be the same again.

We seem to be entering into a new era in golf, and that will affect everyone from the casual fan to tournament sponsors to golf betters in Vegas. Tiger Woods has dominated the game of golf for so long that many people are accustomed to the notion of one dominant player being chased by everyone else in the field. Tiger Woods is an international icon, and his involvement in a tournament boosted ratings and affected sponsorships. Many of the other golf pros were also intimidated by his game.

All of that seems to be changing. It had to change some time – every athlete starts to get older and sees his skills decline. But with Tiger we’ve seen a stunning series of events that have knocked him off his perch.

If you like to bet on golf you need to get used to this “new normal.” Recently, you had a young kid, Rory McIroy, win the US Open after blowing The Masters. Then you had a guy like Darren Clarke win the British Open. Everything is changing, so there’s much more uncertainty. TV ratings are down, but for the golf purists this might be more interesting.

It seems like quite a bit of hyperbole, but caddy Steve Williams was pretty happy after Adam Scott’s victory at Firestone. After his well-publicized breakup with Tiger Woods, many have interpreted his comments as a shot at Tiger.

UPDATE: Williams is getting hammered for his self-centered comments.

The kid did it. After blowing The Masters, Rory McIlroy roared back to dominate the field and win the US Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. With all the fuss about Tiger Woods, we might just have a new golf phenom on our hands.

Martin Laird of Scotland wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida. meanwhile, Tiger Woods had more trouble again.

Here’s another example of the importance of putting.

In a duel between the young and strong, victory often goes not just to who will search for greatness successfully, but who will search for greatness without making the dooming mistake.

For Nick Watney, 29, in Sunday’s back nine of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship on the TPC Blue Monster at Doral Resort & Spa, that calamitous error always seemed to be waiting at a tee. Yet, Watney skewered each such moment with archer-accurate putting.

That left the bad moment to be found by Dustin Johnson, 26, the 54-hole leader, on the 16th hole. Johnson’s bogey there and Watney’s flourishing finishing birdie on 18 for a 5-under-par 67 gave Watney a two-shot win with a 16-under 272 total.

Doral is a very popular resort located in Miami.