Westwood crowned European No 1 for third time; Fitzpatrick wins second DP World Tour Championship
Lee Westwood poses with the Race to Dubai Trophy. Picture: Getty Images
Lee Westwood claimed the Race to Dubai for the third time and insisted he would give his all for Pádraig Harrington if he qualifies for an 11th Ryder Cup cap at Whistling Straits next year.
The Nottingham man (47) finished outright second, one stroke behind compatriot Matthew Fitzpatrick in the DP World Tour Championship to become the oldest European number one.
While there were no Ryder Cup qualifying points up for grabs, Westwood not only claimed €1.11 million— €702,000 in prize money plus a €412,000 Race to Dubai bonus— he also became a clear candidate for a Ryder Cup return.
“I would love to play again,” said the Worksop native, who needed to finish solo second and hope that Patrick Reed did not win at Jumeirah Golf Estates to become European No 1 again.
“At some point I am hoping the captaincy is going to be offered. But I have played in ten Ryder Cups under ten different captains. I enjoyed the Ryder Cup the last time round when I was vice-captain.
“If I did qualify for the Ryder Cup team I would give it my all and be ready for it.”
Matthew Fitzpatrick with the DP World Tour Championship Trophy. Picture: Getty Images
As for finishing the season as top dog despite his struggles with back pain, he said: “It wasn't something I set out to do at the start of the year, but it shows the consistency I've shown. The most satisfying thing is doing it under pressure when it matters.”
Fitzpatrick won the tournament for the second time since 2016, ending a two-year victory drought, when he birdied his first four holes and five of the first seven to shoot 68 and win by a shot from Westwood, who also shot 68, on 15-under.
“Having Lee on the team, it's a no-brainer right now, isn't it,” said Fitzpatrick, who won €2.72 million — the €2.47 million first prize plus a €247,000 Race to Dubai bonus. “He's playing some brilliant golf as you've seen again this week and he's competed plenty this year.”
The Race to Dubai ended up as a three-way battle with long-time leader Reed the big loser despite chipping in three times in a final round 70.
The Texan was bidding to become the first American to win be crowned European No 1 but as Westwood birdied the 16th and 18th to set the clubhouse target at 14-under, Reed’s swing change troubles caught with him as he bogeyed the 16th and 17th.
Like Laurie Canter, who double-bogeyed the 17th, he needed an closing eagle to deny Westwood outright second.
But while he chipped for the third time yesterday for a closing birdie, he had to settle for tied third with rising Norwegian star Viktor Hovland on 13-under as Canter hit his approach onto the hospitality pavilion and shared fifth with Finland’s Sami Valimaki on 12-under after a 71.
Meanwhile, the final round of the US Women's Open was suspended until today following an early stoppage for dangerous conditions and anticipated inclement weather at Champions Club in Houston.
The last eight groups did not get to start with overnight leader Hinako Shibuno of Japan one stroke clear of American Amy Olson on four-under par.
Player quotes
Lee Westwood: "I went out trying to win the tournament. That was the best and the simplest thing to try and do. There's so many sort of permutations that can go on on a day like today. It can all get too confusing if you let it. You might as well just go out there and shoot as low a score as you can on each individual hole. I figured I needed to finish 15-under to win the tournament. Not really any thoughts of The Race to Dubai until I got into the scoring tent afterwards and looked at it all and realised I've still got a chance.
"The motivation's never changed, really. I get to get up each day and do the job I love. I've always wanted to be a golfer, and I don't want it to end. So I'm prepared to keep working hard and put myself in the line of fire and try and get into contention in tournaments. It's where I'm most comfortable and what I love doing.
"They have all been very different. I guess 2000, I was winning a lot, but I was still up-and-coming. It was only my seventh year on Tour. 2009, I was honing in on the best player in the world spot, and I needed to win here to win The Race to Dubai, and I managed to do that. And then this one, I'm kind of the more mature player on The European Tour now. It wasn't something I set out to do at the start of the year, but it shows the consistency I've shown. The most satisfying thing is doing it under pressure when it matters."
Matt Fitzpatrick: "The start I got off to, four birdies in the first four, five under through seven, it's a dream start. Fortunately I managed to pull away from that and really sort of create some distance.
"It was just obviously a bit of a grind on the back nine. For me it was just about finishing one hole at a time and just getting through it. So managed to do that and yeah, finished well.
"I knew where I started the week a lot needed to go my way. When I saw Lee at second, it did enter my head briefly going to 18, even if I win, it's probably not going to be enough, anyway. I turned up obviously 16th, so first Race to Dubai didn't really enter my head if I'm honest. I just wanted to win a lot this week.
"It's one of those few weeks in your probably career, where you're like, it feels really good and I'm playing really well, and you go and win. You can play poorly and win and sometimes you can play amazing and lose. To me this is a week in all honesty I felt I'm playing really well and I managed to convert it."
DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates (Par 72)
273 M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 68 68 69 68,
274 L Westwood (Eng) 70 68 68 68,
275 P Reed (USA) 70 64 71 70, V Hovland (Nor) 71 69 66 69,
276 L Canter (Eng) 71 66 68 71, S Valimaki (Fin) 69 69 69 69,
278 V Perez (Fra) 67 74 69 68,
279 T Hatton (Eng) 69 68 72 70, B Grace (RSA) 72 66 72 69,
281 A Arnaus (Esp) 71 68 67 75, A Sullivan (Eng) 71 71 67 72, C Morikawa (USA) 72 70 69 70, T Fleetwood (Eng) 69 69 74 69,
282 M Kaymer (Ger) 69 70 71 72, E Van Rooyen (RSA) 68 73 70 71, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 71 71 70 70, S Im (Kor) 75 70 68 69, S Crocker (USA) 70 76 67 69, G Higgo (RSA) 70 77 66 69, A Otaegui (Esp) 75 66 73 68, D Burmester (Rsa) 76 67 72 67, M Kawamura (Jpn) 72 73 70 67,
283 R Macintyre (Sco) 68 72 66 77, B Stone (RSA) 73 71 67 72, S Norris (RSA) 72 69 71 71, K Samooja (Fin) 74 68 71 70, W Nienaber (RSA) 79 70 67 67, T Lewis (Eng) 78 68 71 66,
284 G Coetzee (RSA) 71 72 70 71, M Wallace (Eng) 72 71 70 71, T Detry (Bel) 74 73 69 68,
285 D Willett (Eng) 72 67 69 77, M Warren (Sco) 72 72 68 73, M Kinhult (Swe) 76 69 68 72, R Rock (Eng) 73 73 72 67,
286 C Shinkwin (Eng) 70 71 71 74, H Stenson (Swe) 70 71 72 73, J Donaldson (Wal) 70 75 69 72, T Pieters (Bel) 71 70 75 70, B Wiesberger (Aut) 76 71 69 70, C Syme (Sco) 73 73 72 68, A Rozner (Fra) 75 73 70 68,
287 I Poulter (Eng) 74 68 71 74, W Besseling (Ned) 72 73 69 73, J Luiten (Ned) 71 73 71 72, J Hansen (Den) 74 72 71 70,
288 J Smith (Eng) 74 72 71 71,
289 J Harding (RSA) 77 69 68 75, P Larrazábal (Esp) 73 74 70 72, S Jamieson (Sco) 74 70 74 71,
290 R Fisher (Eng) 73 75 70 72, A Rai (Eng) 72 76 73 69, R Hojgaard (Den) 76 68 78 68,
291 J Catlin (USA) 75 74 69 73, M Pavon (Fra) 74 76 69 72, E Pepperell (Eng) 78 73 69 71,
292 J Janewattananond (Tha) 70 73 73 76, J Campillo (Esp) 72 74 72 74, G Green (Mas) 70 78 74 70,
293 R Paratore (Ita) 75 73 70 75,
294 B Hebert (Fra) 75 77 70 72, M Armitage (Eng) 73 74 76 71,
296 S Horsfield (Eng) 77 74 73 72,
299 G Forrest (Sco) 75 74 75 75,
**
Out G McDowell (Nir) 73 76 WD
