Archives for November 2009

Tiger Woods was once again centre of attention. He always is at any golf tournament. On this occasion it seemed magnified, the dial was on max. Chinese crowds, the sponsors, the organisers and the media all wanted their piece of arguably the world's most recognisable sportsman.

And what is that like for the superstar at the centre of it all?

When he was asked Woods gave perhaps his most telling answer of the week he spent at this month's WGC Champions tournament in Shanghai. Just five words summed up his feelings. "I have never liked it," he said.

Hardly revelatory because we know Woods loathes sharing his life with anyone other than those nearest and dearest. His yacht is named "Privacy" in case we were in any doubt.

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Lee Westwood left the BBC 5 live radio booth, beer in hand, with a trademark quip. "I'll be on 606 later, you can read me on the message boards," he said with a satisfied smile.

And how his band of followers should get on there to congratulate the newly crowned European number one after a truly stunning display in the desert.

Having covered the Tour for the last seven seasons I am struggling to recall a more dominant performance in such a significant event. You probably have to go back to Nick Faldo's 1996 demolition of Greg Norman at Augusta before you can identify better golf from an Englishman.

Westwood played with a deadly calm, succeeding fully in the objective given to him by caddie Billy Foster to bully his way to the Dubai World Championship title and Race to Dubai crown.

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Welcome to a real-life oasis. Glorious verdant green peppered with brilliant white bunkers, dappled with deep blue water and surrounded by luxurious abodes with the unmistakeable aroma of unlimited pots of cash in the desert.

Well that's how it was supposed to be in these parts this week, but it hasn't quite panned out that way.

Yes the grass is green and the bunkers are white, but the water is muddied - literally and metaphorically - and let us hope it is mud because some of the smells suggest it might be something else.

It is certainly not the whiff of money that fills the nostrils, and that's despite the fact that several exceptionally wealthy golfers are going to become substantially richer here at the season ending Dubai World Championship.

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The final leaderboard would have looked at home at Doral or Firestone as the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai thoroughly lived up to its new World Golf Championships status.

WGC events reliably identify the best players in the world - that's why Tiger Woods has won 17 of the 32 that have been played.

But in China an out of sorts Woods could only manage a share of sixth place after suffering a front-nine meltdown in the dream final group alongside eventual champion Phil Mickelson, who claimed his second WGC title of the year.

'Lefty' took the title at the end of a thrilling final day that proved big time golf is at home in Asia. The Sheshan course stood up to the test and a unique atmosphere had, at times, the intensity of a major.

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Confidence is a wonderful commodity and Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher have it in abundance as they prepare to tee it up here in Shanghai.

Poulter is aiming at breaking into the world's top 10 before the end of the season; Fisher believes he now has what it takes to turn near misses in majors into victories of substance.

And why not? Both have just recorded highly impressive wins and feel ready to take on a field headed by the world's top two at the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club.

Yes Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are in town and the circus that follows is something to behold. It goes with the territory when you are at the top of the game and that's where Poulter and Fisher are firmly setting their sights.

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