Westwood’s race to make Masters

LAST month it was an indignity that befell Ian Poulter for the first time in almost a decade. Now it is Lee Westwood who has fallen outside the world’s top 50. Four years ago, the Englishman (right) experienced the rarefied air of the summit but now he’s back at base camp for the first time since 2007. Westwood’s need to correct this situation is even more urgent than Poulter’s. At least the latter is assured of an appearance at the Masters in April, courtesy of his top-15 finish this year. Right now, Westwood is staring down the barrel of missing out on Augusta, and that hasn’t happened since 2004. His best chance to make it lies in climbing back into the top 50 by season’s end. This week he’s playing in Dubai, where he’s had a win and two other top-five finishes in six previous editions of the DP World Tour Championship. How he could do with another one.