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DUBAI: Lee Westwood produced a sensational course record eight-under par 64 to win the inaugural Dubai World Championship, as well as the European Tour's Race to Dubai.
On the final day of the 7.5 million dollars Dubai World Championship, the 36-year-old Englishman was in imperious form as he took home a total cheque of 2.75 million dollars - 1.25 million dollars for winning the Dubai World Championship, and 1.5 million dollar bonus for topping the Race to Dubai and becoming the No 1 player in Europe.
It was Westwood's second Order of Merit victory. He had earlier won the honour in 2000.
The 64, which bettered Robert Allenby's course record of seven-under 65 on the opening day, helped Westwood finish at 23-under par 265, six shots ahead of second placed Ross McGowan of England.
McGowan made five birdies in a row on the back nine, but bogeys on the last two holes saw him finish with a 68 for 17-under-par total of 271.
Rory McIlroy, who was leading the Race to Dubai going into the championship, finished third at 15-under 273 after closing with a 67.
Even Westwood was impressed with his own show.
"It felt pretty good I have to say. It's hard to imagine playing better, getting the breaks when you need them, and I didn't think I'd feel so calm out there," said the Ryder Cup star, whose only thing missing on his CV is a major.
"I think I learned a lot from my Open experience (where he three-putted the last hole to miss out on the playoffs by one shot) and tried to put it into practice today, and it paid off," added Westwood, who made only two bogeys the whole week and was 14-under for the weekend.
The Portugal Masters winner said reclaiming the honour of being called the No 1 player in Europe was a special feeling.
"I'd have to say this one feels better. You know, obviously winning in 2000 meant a lot. I won six events and The World Match Play that year. But then to drop completely into obscurity and come back from it and get back into the top 10 in the world and crown it all by winning this, obviously means a lot," he added.
Westwood also revealed a chat with his caddie Billy Foster, helped him become a better player this week.
"In the pre-tournament party, Billy said I've been great all year, great in Portugal, obviously won there, had a lot of confidence, and then since then, I had not been myself, I had been paying too much attention to the other people around me, looking at boards too much, worrying what other people were doing," he said.
"He said you've won 30 times, which is more than the other three guys that were trying to win the Money List put together probably. He said you've been out here 16 years and that's longer than all three of them put together.
"If you start playing, like he knew I could play, they would be the ones looking up at board worrying about me. And that's what I've tried to do.
"I know it's a terrible word to use, I hate it, but he said: You've got to bully them on the golf course. You've got to be yourself again and get back that instinct I had in the late 90s and 2000.' And with that sort of attitude, that's why I've been confident all week."
Australia's Geoff Ogilvy (67) and thrice Major champion Padraig Harrington (68) were tied for fourth place at 14-under 274, while Sweden's Alexander Noren was sixth at 275. - AFP/de
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