Cool Martin Kaymer relishing his chance to topple Tiger

Kaymer, 25, needs to finish in the top two at the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama to deny Briton Lee Westwood the honour of being on top of the world.

In 2007, a sixth-place finish in the elite Volvo Masters at the same course enabled Kaymer to clinch the tour's rookie award and launch his career in spectacular fashion.

The US PGA champion's head-spinning climb to third in the rankings has made him one of the hottest properties in golf and he is poised to outdo his role model and compatriot Bernhard Langer, who was 29 when he topped the world rankings in 1986.

Kaymer, who also has a healthy lead in Europe's Race to Dubai money-list, is taking his success calmly. "Things have changed unbelievably for me this year; everything has been positive," Kaymer told reporters yesterday.

"I've put the work in over the last three, four years, but everything has paid off very, very fast, it's true. I wasn't expecting it, but I'll take it."

If Kaymer finishes outside the top two, Tiger Woods will still lose his status as world No 1 after a record 281-week reign. But it would be world No 2 Westwood who takes his place, despite the 37-year-old Englishman continuing his recuperation from a calf injury.

"He's had a lot of trouble these last few months and I'm pretty sure if he hadn't he'd be number one by now," Kaymer said of his Ryder Cup team-mate.

"We've both played fantastic golf this year. Who deserves to be number one more? It's difficult to say."

Scotland's Marc Warren is also at the Andalucia Masters and he faces the nightmare prospect of losing his European Tour card unless he can conjure a top-five finish.

The 29-year-old, a former Tour winner at Gleneagles just three years ago, languishes 131st in the Race to Dubai rankings. Due to Warren's ranking status, this week in Andalucia could be his last event of the season and he needs to bank up to €90,000 to ensure he reaches the top 115 to guarantee his card for 2011.

If he fails, the East Kilbride professional will face a gruelling test at the Tour's dreaded qualifying school in December. Warren's manager, Brian Marchbank, said: "Marc needs €80-90,000 to make himself safe. It could be his last week so he needs a top-five finish. "It's doubtful if he'll be in the last two events in Singapore and Hong Kong next month unless there are a number of withdrawals.

"He has struggled for consistency this season, but, fingers-crossed, he can do it."

Fellow Scots Alastair Forsyth, Stephen Gallacher, Paul Lawrie, David Drysdale and Steven O'Hara are also in the Valderrama field.