Lee Westwood returns to the top to resume his reign on the World Golf Rankings
When the officials of the World Golf Ranking went over to make changes to update the rankings this week, they started off from the top slot. England’s Lee Westwood, after his illustrious win in the Indonesian Masters on his 39th birthday and with
his countryman Luke Donald’s unfortunate defeat at The Heritage, is the world’s new reigning king of golf.
The Englishman had to do a lot of work to catch up with the formidable challenges posted by the sturdy Asians after his lacklustre performance in the opening round of the tournament. He was made to trail the first round leader, Bangladesh’s Siddikur, by
two shots and by Malaysian Shaaban Hussin in the second. He finally moved to grab the lead in the third round and was successfully able to extend it to the final round. Westwood won the final round with a three stroke lead over the Asian stalwart Thongchai
Jaidee.
“It was about coming here this week and trying to win the Indonesian Masters and I’ve done that. I’ve ticked every box this week so we will have to wait and see what happens (on the world number one ranking),” said Westwood.
The Englishman is the winner of no less than 30 professional titles and is notoriously famous for his fondness and grasp of the course on the Asian Tour. He boasts a record on the tour that is incomparable to many of his European or American compatriots.
He stated, “This is my 18th or 19th year playing on Tour and I still love it. I’ve always said that when I stop loving the game, I’ll quit but I still love getting on the aeroplane and playing with some of the best players in the world
on some of the greatest golf courses.”
Donald, on the other side of the world, had better chances to clinch the top slot in the world rankings as the PGA Tour has more points than the Asian Tour. Donald headed into the final round with one shot lead but lost to the American Brandt Snedeker on
the third playoff hole.
"It was going to be some big rewards if I won today," a dejected Donald said later as he was talking to reporters. Donald, who won the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year, had been eyeing to clinch the top slot for a long time.
Westwood ruled the world rankings for 17 consecutive months before he was finally dethroned by Germany’s Martin Kaymer in the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. Westwood has now returned to the top after a short pause of eight weeks. Kaymer who fared
badly in the Masters at Augusta, did not make a professional appearance this week and has now dropped to number two. Donald still retains the number three slot in the World Rankings followed by Phil Mickelson on the fourth and Graeme McDowell on the fifth.
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