Major Week Next Season For Westwood The good week that was waiting to happen for Lee Westwood arrived even in defeat. There was to be no World Match Play repeat as Ernie Els claimed the all-time record with a 2 & 1 victory over our man along Wentworth’s West Course. No disgrace in defeat either as Lee demonstrated just how much his general standard of play has improved over the last three months. Although he got a bit tired and run down towards the end of the week, nothing but good can come out of his experience. It’s a pretty awesome achievement to have gone from fourth in the world to 257th and back to 30th. If he can maintain that position now it will guarantee him a place in whatever field he selects next year. Lee may not have won this year yet, but I am sure the season will prove to be the springboard for him to move on and claim his first major title. He knows all too well that to do that he must get his short game to the same level as his long one. However, he can take great pride in his current standing. His move to 30th in the world and 8th in the European money list is not evidence that he is on his way back, but proof that he already is back. Now if David Howell can move up from his 11th place, it will mean we will have four players inside the top 10 for the first time ever. Our previous best is three, achieved in 1996 and 1998 when Lee, Darren Clarke and Andrew Coltart were all single digit money list performers. Another rising star is Carlos Rodiles, who enjoyed another top 10 in Majorca to cement his place in the Volvo Masters where he will be aiming to go one better than last year after being beaten in a play-off. Finally I would like to thank all the many people who contributed to making the ISM Charity Day at Mere Golf and Country Club such a tremendous success last weekend. They are too many to mention, but they all know who they are and I can not thank them enough. More than £75,000 was raised and a good time was had by all.
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