Westwood satisfied with form

08 Feb 2010 - 16:00:50

European number one Lee Westwood shrugged off his winless start to the new season following Sunday's play-off defeat at the Dubai Desert Classic.

The 36-year-old world number four lost to Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, missing two championship putts in the play-off after letting slip a two-shot advantage following a final-round level-par 72 at Emirates Golf Club.

"The results, although I would liked to have won last week, don't really concern me too much," he said.

Westwood missed the cut on his seasonal debut in Abu Dhabi following problems with a new set of irons and finished third in Qatar when difficulties with a new driver scuppered his final-round challenge before yesterday's valiant effort in Dubai.

But he has always regarded the three-event desert swing as his "pre-season" following his energy-sapping end to 2009 before heading to America for this month's WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship, which begins his lead-up to April's Masters at Augusta.

He added: "I keep accumulating world ranking points. I've done a lot of fitness work over the last three weeks and I feel pretty strong.

"The game still feels a little bit rusty and I'm mentally not quite sharp enough, but I'm hitting the good shots."