Lee Westwood achieved a European Tour double yesterday by winning the season-ending Dubai World Championship and the money-list title.
An imperious eight-under-par 64 gave him a final 23-under total of 265 and a runaway six-stroke win over fellow Briton Ross McGowan (68).
Westwood’s rival for the Race to Dubai money-list, Rory McIlroy (67) of Britain, was third on 273.
Englishman Westwood picked up 1.77 million euros (US$2.37 million) for his double triumph.
McIlroy arrived in Dubai leading the money-list but the 20-year-old Northern Irishman was eclipsed by Westwood, who started the week in second position.
“The way I played today under this much pressure and the circumstances of it all was about as good as I’ve ever played,” Westwood told reporters after a flawless eight-birdie round.
“It’s easily the biggest moment in my golfing career so far. I knew what I had to do and to go out and shoot 66-64 at the weekend, making no bogeys, gives me a lot of confidence for the future,” he said. “My commiserations go out to Rory.”
A dejected McIlroy said: “Every time I looked up at the leaderboard Lee was making birdies.”
“He played unbelievable golf and fair play to him. Lee’s different class and he deserves to be No. 1,” the Northern Irishman said.
■LPGA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
AFP, HOUSTON
Heavy rain on an already sodden course washed out play on Saturday and forced officials to shorten the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship to 54 holes, to be completed today.
More than 3cm of rain fell at the Houstonian Country Club from Friday morning until officials made the decision on Saturday afternoon to call it off for the day.
“Instead of getting a little bit better, it’s gotten worse,” said Doug Brecht, LPGA Vice President of Rules and Competition. “So we decided to not play anymore golf — or not play any golf today. We’re not playing any shots today.”
No player completed the second round on Friday, and the first-round leaders haven’t yet teed off for round two.
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, fighting for a fourth straight Player of the Year award, was the first-round leader after a 66 on Thursday.
South Korea’s Jiyai Shin, seeking to end Ochoa’s Player of the Year reign, carded a first-round 70. American Cristie Kerr also has a chance to seize the Player of the Year award.
■CAMBODIAN OPEN
AFP, SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
Australia’s Marcus Both ended a six-year title drought on the Asian Tour after securing a nail-biting one-stroke victory over Malaysia’s Shaaban Hussin at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open yesterday.
The Australian was six off the pace going into the final round but fired a closing five-under-par 67 to secure a winning total of nine-under-par 279 at theUS$300,000 Asian Tour event.
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