As he flies out to China to compete in the World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions this week Lee Westwood knows he has fulfilled his sporting ambition as for the first time in 281 days the Number One Spot in the World Rankings has changed hands as Tiger Woods officially lost out to the Englishman, who without a playing for the past two weeks, became World Number One.
However, Westwood remembers those days - long forgotten given the dominance of Woods in recent years – when the rankings were weekly statistics and so he will only enjoy the lofty heights for the next seven days as there are three players capable of taking the Number Spot away from him by next Monday. Those players include – Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer and Tiger Woods – all in Shanghai this week.
So for the first week in a long time the World Number One spot is also in play at a major tournament this week.
From an Irish perspective there are three players involved with Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington joining up with Graeme McDowell at the Sheshan International Golf Club for the WGC - HSBC Champions.
McIlroy returns to action after playing the Egyptian Open on the Challenge Tour ten days ago, where most of his focus was on perfecting some swing changes and Harrington returns to Asia, two weeks after his securing his first win in as many years, at the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia.
McDowell arrives in China clutching another trophy following his win at the Andalucía Valderrama Masters and trying to pace himself in a season that keeps giving him chances - mindful that his objective now is the Race to Dubai in early December.
Three of the young pretenders have also qualified and include, Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, aged 19, Korea’s Seung-yul Noh, 19 - winner of the 2010 Malaysian Open - and Matteo Manassero of Italy who at 17 became the youngest winner of a European Tour event at the CASTELLO MASTERS Costa Azahar last week.
Last week Manassero had to drop out of the event in Valderrama – having qualified for the WGC – HSBC in China - in order to secure a visa for his trip to Shanghai.
Ishikawa, who qualified after winning The Crowns with a staggering final round 58, said: “I am very happy to qualify for the final World Golf Championships of the year. Last year I enjoyed my week at the Sheshan International Club very much.
Three-time Major Champion Ernie Els is also set to play and was runner-up in last year’s edition of the tournament, shooting a course-record equalling nine under par 63 in the final round.
The South African has won two WGC titles in his career - the 2010 WGC-CA Championship and the 2004 American Express Championship - and is aiming for a third in China.
Ben Crane, who took the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday by one shot from Brian Davis, is also down to play.
Martin Kaymer of Germany also plays after a disappointing week in Valderrama where he finished in 21st place on 7 over par knowing that he is one of those that could limit Westwood’s world ranking joy to a week - with a good result.
