WEST’S BEST
Westwood and his girlfriend and caddie Helen left jumping for joy after he’s crowned king of European golf.... 20 years after he first claimed the order of merit
LEE WESTWOOD was crowned king of the European Tour 20 years after he first claimed the title, following a dramatic finish in Dubai.
Fel low Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick (right) won the £2.2million first prize in the DP Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates and appeared on course to finish top of the order of merit as well.
But birdies by 47- year- old Westwood at the 16th and 18th, and a double bogey by Laurie Canter at the 17th, saw Westwood claim sole-second to snatch the Race To Dubai title by a tiny margin of just 17.8 points.
He became the oldest man ever to finish top of the European Tour, five years older than Colin Montgomerie when he won the last of his eight titles in 2005.
A stunned Westwood said: “It’s difficult to take it all in right now.
“Obviously it’s been a bizarre year for so many reasons and the European Tour, first and foremost, have done an incredible job to pick the season up again from July when I hosted the British Masters. It was
a great finish, it’s always exciting coming down the stretch at this tournament.
“It was a great finish, with thrills and spills, the Race to Dubai up for grabs, and the tournament up for grabs. It’s been 20 years since I sat there at Valderrama and finished second in the American erican Express Championship to win the Volvo Order of f Merit, as it was back then.
“I won here in 2009 to win the Race to Dubai and now I’ve finished d second to win it today.
“It’s not getting any easier asier but I’m just enjoying playing golf against these great young players.”
Patrick Reed had looked on course to become the first American to top the money list on this side of the Atlantic when he chipped in for birdie on the 15th to move into outright second, but he bogeyed the 16th and 17th to finish third.
The former Masters champion had taken a 460-point lead into the start of the week but, with 2,000 points on offer to the winner, it had
still been mathematically possible for 61 of the 65-man field to finish top of the money list.
And it was that old- stager Westwood who took advantage to move through the field and claim top spot following the Covid-hit season.
The pandemic also meant that the Ryder Cup was pushed back to 2021. Westwood had hoped to be included in the European team for 2020 and still has designs on being in it next year. But he revealed afterwards that he also has a burning desire to step up and turn his remarkable playing record against the Americans into a successful one as leader of the European pack.
“At some point I’m hoping the captaincy is going to be offered,” Westwood added.
“I’ve played in 10 Ryder Cups so far and at certain times you have to move into different chapters of your life.
“If I did qualify, I would give it my all and be ready for it.”