Will 'global warning' surface again this week at PLAYERS Championship?

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Lee Westwood enters THE PLAYERS on the heels of a monster spring that has propelled him to fourth in the Official World Golf Rankings.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Take a break from talking Tiger and Phil.

Press pause on the whole what-if scenario that could have Phil leapfrogging the most rock-solid No. 1 of all-time by the end of the week.

And about that 58? Well, hold onto that thought for just the slightest of moments. It does relate to what we're about to throw at you.

Global warning. Not warming. Warning.

The Brits are coming. So are the Irish. And the Spaniards. And the South Africans, South Koreans, Japanese, Germans, Kiwis and Argentines. To name a few.

While we're sorting through a kerfuffle of a start to this year -- Tiger, Phil's inconstancy, AK's rise and Ernie's bounce back -- the game took on an even stronger than usual international look.

Check the world rankings. International players account for 60 percent of the top 10; 70 percent of the top 20. Top 25? It's 68 percent and counting. It doesn't matter if they own or rent in the States or only drop in for an occasional hotel bill, they're changing the face of both the game and the PGA TOUR -- both of which had a red-white-and-blue-stars-and-stripes look for decades.

In some ways, THE PLAYERS Championship has set the tone. The just-this-side-of-a-major has had five international winners in the last eight years, including defending champ Henrik Stenson of Sweden. Before that it was Spaniard Sergio Garcia in 2008, Canadian via Trinidad and Tobago native Stephen Ames in 2006 and Australian Adam Scott in 2004. Craig Perks, a still unknown New Zealander, started the run in 2002.

And who started it all? Well, Scot Sandy Lyle won in 1987, then Aussie Steve Elkington won the first of two in 1991. After that, it was the Nick Price-Greg Norman back-to back in 1993 and 1994, followed by Elk, Part II in 1997.

The reason? Nothing out of the ordinary. Right place, right time. Good wind players (but they come out of Texas and Oklahoma too). Creative (then we think Tiger and Phil). Gutsy and patient (nothing new). Hot streaks (which can happen to everyone).

We just saw an international slam on Sunday as Northern Ireland (Rory McIlroy), Spain (Alvaro Quiros) and Japan (Ryo Ishikawa) all cheered wins last weekend. McIlroy closed with a 62 to win the Quail Hollow Championship, Quiros won the Spanish Open and Ishikawa closed with an all-tour record 58 to win The Crowns in his home country.

Ishikawa is passing up this week's PLAYERS to keep a commitment -- made long before the win -- in Japan, but McIlroy and Quiros have moved way up on the pre-tournament short list. Brit Lee Westwood has been there. Ditto for his countrymen Paul Casey, Ian Poulter and Luke Donald. And Irishman Padraig Harrington, South African Ernie Els and Columbian Camilo Villegas, who also earns spots on the best-dressed and Gossip Girl style hot lists.

We could go on. And on. And on. We are talking 14 of the 20 best players in the world, after all. And if we extrapolate out? We're talking 70 percent -- yes,70 -- of the top 50 in the world.

Yes, the U.S. has the medal stand for the moment -- Tiger, Phil and Steve Stricker, in order -- but it's a global mural after that dotted with Jim Furyk and Anthony Kim. The sixth-best U.S. player? Hunter Mahan at 17th. Yes, the Americans have dominated tournaments, winning 13 of the first 19 PGA TOUR events, but here?

Well, after last weekend, we're raising the global warning flag. And the possibility of the internationals going six for nine at TPC Sawgrass.

And just who are we thinking about? We thought you'd ask, so here are our top five global picks:

1) Harrington. Closed with a 68 at Quail Hollow and can make things happen. He tinkers and tinkers then . . . boom. He's got three majors and has two seconds here -- a solo in 2004 and a share in 2003.

2) Westwood. Seriously underrated -- and overshadowed -- at No. 4 in the world. Too good not to give himself a chance to win here. Hard to imagine, but this will be just his ninth PLAYERS. When he was on his first roll back in the late 90s, he had back-to-back ties for fifth (1998) and sixth (1999). He was so close at the Masters, so we expect a brilliant week.

3) McIlroy. A lot to ask after his first win? Absolutely and maybe not. He closed with that 62 and is running on adrenalin, which could put him in Anthony Kim territory. He missed the cut last year after a second-round 77, but this is a much different year. Can you think of a better way to celebrate your 21st birthday -- he's "legal" today -- than going back-to-back? We suggest a quick practice round, followed by a little ZZ Top who's playing in Jacksonville Tuesday night. That'll get him moving.

4) Els. He's won twice this year and can turn it on anywhere, any time. Struggled at the Masters until closing with a 68. He's had five top-11s here over the years, including a T-6 in 2008.

5) Poulter. The TOUR's most fashionable one could pull a Sergio Garcia and follow last year's second place with a win. Sergio did that in 2008. Don't let the pink plaids fool you. The guy is tough.

Don't say we didn't warn you. And one last thing. The way this year has gone, don't be surprised if someone comes out of nowhere -- think Sergio or Luke Donald -- to grab the global sixth. After all, McIlroy was one shot away from missing his third cut in a row last week, then threw out a 128 total on the weekend. These guys really are good.