Last chance for Lee to salvage Masters dream

NOt including the special exemptions that are more to do with exploring new markets than merit — Shubhankar Sharma, a 21-year-old from india is this year’s lucky beneficiary — there are 18 ways to qualify for next month’s US masters. Lee Westwood (right) has, as yet, not made it through one of them. he is one of just a trio of players to record three top-three masters finishes in this decade, and has also been in the top 10 twice. A year ago, he was one shot short of a score that would have equated to his 15th straight masters qualification. Yet now he is 90th in the world and his last chance of a berth is at the houston Open this week. he needs to win it. So, while Sandy Lyle and ian Woosnam will always be able to play as former champions, martin Kaymer qualifies as part of a five-year exemption for US Open winners and the same for Jimmy Walker, world No 95 but victor in the 2016 PGA Championship, Westwood may be on the outside looking in. that does not mean he will never return to Augusta, but it rather pricks the idea that a great athlete’s time will come given patience. tottenham, with a crucial Premier League fixture at Chelsea on Sunday followed by an FA Cup semi-final on April 22, should take note. they start making it happen, or the good stuff will eventually pass them by. MARK JENKINS, chief executive of West Brom, is appalled by the parlous state of the club’s finances. He says there is no more money for wages. That’ll be why those players were so keen to start up that mini-cabbing business in Spain then.