DUBAI // When Lee Westwood last teed off in the Emirates three months ago, he ruled the Earth. In wrapping up the inaugural Dubai World Championship and Race to Dubai titles with a score of 23-under par, the Englishman seemed to have found a natural home at the Jumeirah Golf Estates course.
Westwood is back in the UAE this week, kick-starting his 2010 season at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the opening leg of the European Tour's Desert Swing, which also features the Qatar Masters and the Dubai Desert Classic. Understandably the world No 4, scheduled to play in each of the Gulf tournaments, is all smiles when asked if he is glad to be back. "The Desert Swing is a great start to the year," said Westwood, who was speaking at yesterday's official unveiling of JGE's Greg Norman-designed Fire Course, Earth's ever-so-slightly friendlier sibling.
"There is not a lot of travel between the three tournaments and the practice conditions are great. If I was at home I wouldn't be able to do anything like this in terms of preparation. "I've got my trainer coming out, so I'll be in the gym quite a bit. While I'm still very competitive and always trying to win every tournament, this is a good pre-season start for me - it's the right place to get going."
The last time Westwood accepted the capital's National challenge, in 2008, he finished just adrift of an inspired Martin Kaymer. If the European No 1's form at Fire's unveiling is anything to go by - he played a ceremonial drive down the first tee that split the fairway, hit hard and true - then the Abu Dhabi field should be worried. "I've only played in Abu Dhabi once before and I finished second," said Westwood. "Hopefully I can feed off that a little bit. From what I can remember the course was pretty good for me. It suits long, straight driving. The rough was up then and it is again this year from reports I've had, so I'm looking forward to it because the last time I played desert golf I played pretty well. I'm hoping to carry that on into these three weeks."
Last term's European dominance and the current regional forays aside, Westwood freely admits that his season is geared towards achieving success in the year's four majors. "They are a big priority for me this year," he said. "I have set my schedule and all my practice will be built up towards the majors. The first part of the year is geared towards the Masters and trying to get there feeling sharp but also fresh, that's the tricky bit.
"There is a lot of travelling at the start of the year, a lot of backwards and forwards. I need to get to Augusta fresh, but it's a fine line and a bit of juggling match. "When I was younger, I'd play eight or nine tournaments in a row, now you'll be lucky to see me play four in a row. The end of last year was the first time I had played four in a row for two or three years and that went pretty well."
That quartet of events ended with Westwood's majestic showing in Dubai. The arrival of his best form in time to capture season-ending riches, however, was no fluke. "Knowing I got into the zone off my own steam was the main thing about that weekend," said Westwood. "Sometimes you just fall into form, but I pushed my focus to try and get there and do it at the right time. Hopefully I can do that this year in the four big tournaments which really matter.
"In previous years, I've said I'm turning up to win but there have been times when the game's not been quite there and a top-10 finish would be good. Now, I feel that I should be winning a tournament if I turn up playing well." With the likely absence of Tiger Woods from the majority, if not all, of this year's majors, Westwood is assured of more chances in majors. He admitted that the world No 1's break from the game will make it easier to win a major, though he will be happy as long as he plays consistently.
"They are still going to be difficult to win," said Westwood. "I've never won one. But any tournament when the world's No 1 is not there will be easier to win - that's just a fact. I'd like to win one this year but if I finish in the top five in every major and don't win one, but still win the [European Tour] money list, then it would still be a successful year." Which one, however, does not matter. "There's no particular major which suits me the most," said Westwood.
"I've led or had chances to win all of them so it would seem that my game is suited to pretty much all of them. When you get to a certain level that's how it should be, there shouldn't be any weakness in your game." With the Earth already his, Westwood now wants to rule the world. @Email:emegson@thenational.ae
