Smiting Drives - Will Lee Westwood ever play that well again
24 Nov 2009 - 07:50:47
Lee Westwood's double triumph on Sunday was achieved with one of European Tour golf's great performances. For 18 holes the Englishman came as close to perfection as you are likely to see. It was relentless excellence, other-worldly in its sheer brilliance, and arguably the best round of golf Westwood has put together in competition.
In fact, you could safely call it the best round on Earth and not be accused of hyperbole (is there a course called the Universe?).
Commentators and coaches will tell you Westwood was in the mythical 'zone'; that the 36-year-old accessed a zen-like state of mind where almost anything was possible. Eight birdies and not a dropped shot in sight would attest to this theory, but the big question to emerge from the weekend, is whether Westwood will ever play that well again?
- Westwood reflects on Dubai victory
- Race to Dubai final standings
An ever bigger question still, is whether the Worksop wonder will avoid comparison to his future Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, and finally take home a major?
We all know how close he's come in the past. Eight top-10s, spread across all four big ones, tell you Westwood has the game to do it. At Turnberry this year he came within a makeable putt of entering the play-off with Tom Watson and Stewart Cink, but once again it wasn't to be.
In the build-up to the Dubai World Championship, Westwood make no secret of his priorities. While a big pay-day and a second European Tour crown were not to be sniffed at, it was the majors that kept him awake at night. All his thoughts were focused on Augusta in April, he told us. The 2010 season for Lee Westwood would be tailored specifically at bringing home golf's holy grail.
Not since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999 has a European donned the green jacket. Not since Nick Faldo in 1996 has an Englishman won a major. But with Ross Fisher, Ian Poulter and Westwood all firing as 2009 draws to a close, surely that run will end sooner rather than later.
What's clear is that Westwood's game could not be in better shape. He's arguably playing the best golf of his life, and confidence should not be in short supply when he appears amid the azaleas in five months' time.
As for the big-game mentality, there will be those who argue that Westwood's win on Sunday points towards a new ruthlessness in his approach. But as his performances in 2001 will tell you, European Tour success is not always a good barometer for success at the majors.
Westwood won a remarkable five tournaments on Tour in 2000, only to emerge the following year and miss cuts at both the Masters and the US Open, before drifting to low finishes in The Open and US PGA Championship.
Perhaps it was due to exhaustion? Perhaps it was the increased weight of expectation? Or maybe just that a hot streak has to end? Whatever the reason, Westwood would be well advised to reflect on that season and glean whatever lessons he can.
One thing's for sure, when the bookmakers sit down and calculate odds for Augusta, Lee Westwood's will be shorter than most. Let's just hope his current hot streak keeps on burning. If he can re-produce Sunday's display at the Masters, the green jacket is coming home.
- Will Tidey
READ SMITING DRIVES EXCLUSIVELY AT GOLF.CO.UK EVERY TUESDAY
