Lee Westwood admits number-one ranking could be short-lived
After reaching the number-one ranking for the first time in his career this past week, Lee Westwood is unsure how long he will remain at the top.
While he is in the field this week at the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, China, he will be playing in only his second tournament, besides the Ryder Cup, since he finished runner-up
at the British Open this past July.
Westwood has been bothered by a nagging calf injury and his reign at the top could last only one week as there are three other players in the field this week – Tiger Woods, Martin Kaymer,
and Phil Mickelson – who are in position to wrest it from him.
“It’s one thing getting there, it’s another thing staying there," Westwood
said of his position at the top.
“It’s going to be tough this week,” added the 37-year-old Englishman. “I have to play well, which may not be easy. I’m bound to be a bit rusty because I’ve not played a lot recently.”
Westwood described his aching calf as “still not quite right” but said that when doctors told him he can’t do any more damage to the muscle, he decided to play. He has already withdrawn
from the Singapore Open next week but does plan to play in the Dubai World Championship, the season-ending tournament on the European Tour schedule set to begin on 19 November.
“I’m taking it gently,” he said. “Just this one week.”
Westwood is only the fourth player to reach the top spot in the ranking without having won a major championship. He has come painfully close numerous times, finishing runner-up at this
year’s Masters and British Open tournaments as well as posting third-place finishes at last year’s PGA Championship and British Open. He said he should get one soon if he continues to put himself in position.
“I’ve had quite a good career so far, but a major has been missing and I have performed well in the majors over the last couple of years. All I can do is keep putting myself in position
and giving myself chances at winning.”
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