Back-to-back victories for Westwood

After regaining the world number one ranking last week, Lee Westwood continues to dominate the golfing circuit

Lee Westwood
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 Lee Westwood recorded a perfect final round to claim victory in the Ballantine’s Championship [GALLO/GETTY]

Briton Lee Westwood clinched the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea by a stroke on Sunday with a scorching final round that secured his second consecutive title in Asia. 

The 38-year old Englishman, who won the Indonesian Masters last week, hit a blemish-free five-under 67 at the Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul to finish with a 12-under total of 276, one better than Ryder Cup team mate Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain.

Park Sang-hyun of South Korea finished third on 10-under in the European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event after carding a final-round 69 with an eagle on the last hole.

Birdie bonanza

A week ago Lee Westwood replaced Germany’s Martin Kaymer as the world’s best golfer after fellow Brit Luke Donald failed to win The Heritage. 

Westwood needed a top-five finish at the Ballantine’s Championship to hold off Martin Kaymer in the rankings.
The Brit made sure he kept the top spot by recording another victory in Indonesia despite trailing the leaders by three strokes after the weather-hit third round finished on Sunday morning.

He holed two birdies on the front nine and finished with three more after the turn but had to endure an anxious wait in the clubhouse as overnight joint leader Jimenez finished his round.

“It feels great. I must admit it was nerve-racking sitting there watching people play. You never wish ill on anyone but I’m delighted to win,” Westwood said.

“I’ve won two weeks in a row before but it’s still very special. It’s tough to come down off a win and get yourself re-focused, but the more experience you get the easier it is to do it.”

Avoiding playoff

The pony-tailed Jimenez needed just one birdie in the closing holes to force a play-off with Westwood but could manage only pars on the back nine.

“We had a nice bottle of red and after dinner I said ‘I’ll see you in the playoff tomorrow’ and it nearly went that way,” said Westwood, who dined with the Spaniard on Saturday before winning his 21st European Tour title.

“Billy (Foster, his caddie) said to me on the sixth or seventh that 11-under will have a chance so that was the figure we were aiming for.”

“It’s tricky out there. It’s a difficult course because it goes around the hills and it’s difficult to pick the wind up, it swirls a lot.”

Westwood will hope to continue his winning swinging ways at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain on May 19th.

Source: Reuters