PGA Tour’s top-20 at Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship: How will they fare? Part-3
5. Lee Westwood, England
Bestowed with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) last year, Westwood probably leads the charge from England and will be part of the field at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship alongside his nemesis and countryman, Luke Donald.
Westwood regarded 2011 as the best year in his golfing career where he surged to the top on the OWGR and pulled in victories all over the world.
His victories stretched from Nedbank Challenge in South Africa to Thailand Golf Championship and despite of his consecutive victories, he lost the world number title to Donald at the BMW PGA Championship.
This will be Westwood’s fourth start in Abu Dhabi this year. His highest finish in the event came in the year 2008 where he finished runner up, four strokes behind Martin Kaymer.
He missed the halfway cut in 2009, falling for a dreadful 78 on the second day and posted another disappointing finish last year when he stumbled on a joint 68th.
Westwood and Rory McIlroy are two of the newest European players who have rejoined the PGA Tour this year, primarily to familiarise themselves of the American turf.
The 38-year-old Worksop native announced that he will be playing the Shell Houston Open ahead of the Masters in April in a bid to acclimatise himself of the PGA courses.
Among many of the top-ranked English players of the current era as well as from the past, Westwood is one of the players who have not won a major title in their otherwise stellar careers.
6. Dustin Johnson, USA
Another of the shining stars in the American camp Dustin Johnson, is not an alien to burgeoning injuries, although his fans and general public are seldom aware of his consecutive fitness vows.
He performed well above his stature the previous year and managed to rise in the top-10 on the OWGR strictly on merit and his capabilities.
After having undergone a knee surgery in November last year, Johnson made his first appearance of the season at Humana Challenge, only to withdraw from the event through halfway mark, citing problems with his knee.
He reiterated that his knee was fine, rather it was his stiffened back which caused problems going back and forth on the course.
Johnson is set to return at Farmers Insurance Open this week, strengthening the otherwise lacklustre line-up of the event. He pulled in impressive joint third at Torrey Pines last year, when he carded three rounds in 60’s but stumbled on a disappointing
round on the third day.
Johnson will be playing at the event for the fifth consecutive year. He is one of the only players after Tiger Woods who has won at least one title in starting three years on the PGA.
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