Westwood chases top three place

LEE Westwood still has one more challenge to complete this season.

He is set to take on the top 17 best players in the world next week, in the Tiger Woods-hosted Chevron World Challenge at the Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks in California, looking a top-three place in the world rankings.

Following the 36-year-old's spectacular victory in the Dubai World Championship, which also confirmed his status as the European No.1, only Steve Stricker stands between him and that spot.

As for catching Woods, the world No.1, Westwood said: "It looks like he will be around for at least another seven, eight years at least.

"You think I can out-stay him? Maybe when I'm about 60. I think anything is attainable, but that would obviously be unbelievably difficult.

"You've just got to watch him play to see how good he is. But I think second is definitely achievable.

"For now, though, I would like to go into the holiday break with third place in the locker."

Over the last two years, Woods apart, Westwood is probably the most consistent player in world golf.

Even though he has had only two victories in that time, he has rattled up a string of top finishes and he is quick to praise the people behind his good form

"A lot of credit has got to go to Steve MacGregor, the guy I work with in the gym," he said. "I think it probably all turned around three years ago when I started working with him to be honest.

"Even though the immediate effect might not be on the golf course, certainly he brought some professionalism, and he's a very analytical person.

"He brought that to the way I felt and started thinking about the game and thinking about my fitness, and that has helped me on the range, to try to implement things in my golf swing that I think I need to improve as well."

The final piece in his jigsaw came this summer when he started working with Billy Foster. Westwood said: "Billy has made a phenomenal difference. I think he's the best caddie, certainly in Europe, maybe in the world.

"You know, we are good mates, and you're never quite sure how that's going to turn out when you start working with somebody you get on really well with.

"It can go one of two ways really. So it's great that it has clicked into place."

Westwood has worked very hard on his short game and he also credits Foster for the suggestions he made regarding that part of his game.

He said: "When I started working with Billy, I was still working with Mark Roe on my short game and I was just getting a bit stuck and not really seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with Mark.

"Billy suggested I go back to Pete Cowan, because he had seen the way Pete gives bunker lessons and stuff like that. That's really where it started, because my bunker game wasn't very good.

"It all has just clicked through there. I think my short game, the bunker play, my chipping, my pitching is started to improve and that's spread to the rest of my game.

"Over the years, I've had a trend where the poorness in my short game has been reflective through the rest of my game, you know, through to the long swings.

"So I think that's just creeping through the whole of the game. And they are the three guys, really, on the course."

His family and manager, Chubby Chandler, the top man at the International Sports Management group, have been there through the good and the bad times especially during the bad times.

"I can't honestly remember the lowest of the lows now," said Westwood.

"I've tried to block it all out really.

"I remember coming off Slaley Hall after shooting two rounds in the 80s. That must be it, because that sticks out, and missing the cut.

"That's about as bad as it got. I certainly turned up to tournaments with very low expectations.

"Chubby, who I've been with for 16 years, was brilliant then. He makes it very easy for me just to concentrate on golf.

"My family are very supportive through the good times and the bad times, and back through the good times.

"I've got a lot of people helping me."