In The Prime Of Life

You can never write off Miguel Angel Jimenez. At 46, some of us thought that the charismatic Spaniard might be beginning to drift down the list of superstars and start thinking about the Seniors Tour in a few years. Obviously we never told him. The cigar-smoking, ponytailed, crocodile-skin-shoe wearing "Mechanic" showed us all today that he's still out there hunting titles. After a missed cut and a T-60 to start 2010, Jimenez got his game together and finally got his name on the trophy that has just eluded him three times. A final round 72 on a difficult day was enough to get into a playoff with Lee Westwood, and then we saw his true class. Outpowered on the 18th hole - the scene of the first two playoff holes - Jimenez stayed in it with a couple of gutsy pars, and while Westwood failed to convert twice. A bogey on the 9th cost the Englishman dearly, as Miguel Angel coolly slotted home from four feet to win.

Jimenez is just great fun to watch, not just for his style but for his intense competitiveness. When he gets on a roll he'll just knock down the flagsticks all the way round. I'd written him off for Celtic Manor later this year, and although he's got some competition from the new generation, he's not going to let them have it all their own way. He held them off today, and he looked like he enjoyed it.

Westwood will be kicking himself - he had his chances and didn't take them. He did well to get his composure back after back-to-back bogeys on the home nine, but he came up just short once again. He's really starting to putt well this year, and added to his already classy long game, we all know he's going to win a few this year, and maybe one of the big ones.

Rory McIlroy couldn't get it going on the greens today, but it was a sterling defence of his title nonetheless. Finishing in a tie for 6th place, McIlroy will look back on what could have been so much more - he didn't take his chances early on in the round and the last four or five holes sealed his fate. We have to remember, though - he's still a relative newcomer to the Tour, and the level of his consistency is incredible. Last season, he notched up a dozen top-5 finishes, and this year he's started with a 3rd and a 6th. He's one of those guys who's always there or thereabouts, and even when you watch him missing greens and putts you find out he's only a shot or two back. You don't have to win every event you play, and if you're throwing in top-10s consistently you won't be far off the titles. Jack Nicklaus - we all know the 18-major stat - what about the 19 major runner-ups?

I've picked Martin Kaymer and McIlroy before as the two players to be at the summit of European and World golf in 10 years time - the young German gave another stellar performance today. Like McIlroy, he couldn't do quite enough to match Westwood and Jimenez, but a 4th place finish included some fabulous play. He's an absolute joy to watch - his swing and temperament are as calm as each other, and when he gets a sniff of victory he's after it in a shot. Many more wins are just around the corner.

Spare a thought for Alvaro Quiros - he looked in control after hitting the 13th in two - 3 holes later he'd taken 9 putts and his week was over. Once you saw him miss the first short one you felt he was shaken, by the time he left himself the third one it was just a cruel joke. Quiros has oodles of talent, but he got a tough lesson today - the mental game down the stretch is pretty tough. He got to see Westwood deal with it today, and I've no doubt he'll be the better for it as the year goes on.

The other man to miss out was Thongchai Jaidee - the talented Thai missed from 5 feet at last to miss out on a spot in the playoff. He played great golf throughout the week, struggled today, but still did almost enough. Jaidee doesn't get the credit he deserves - he tends to put a couple of good months together each year - he'll be playing in the majors this year and will have to take advantage.

That's the end of the Gulf Swing - as always it delivered some incredible golf - we'd close finishes at each tournament. Next week is the inaugural Avantha Masters in India, before we go to Tucson for the World Matchplay. Tiger and Mickelson won't be in Arizona, but keep an eye on the guys in the hunt today - at least one of them's going to have a run at it.

He's Back

In 2008, European golf was dominated by one man. It wasn't Padraig Harrington, who made the global headlines. Back at home, notching up 10 top-5 finishes before finally winning back-to-back, Swede Robert Karlsson was Mr. Consistency. 2009 was a little different - Lee Westwood took on Karlsson's job, and Karlsson injured his eye. He missed much of the season, and failed to get a rhythm going all year. Anyone who's ever seen him play golf, however, knew it wouldn't last long.

At the end of 2009 Karlsson came second to Edoardo Molinari in a Challenge Tour event in Asia, and for me that heralded his return. Since then he put in a great performance in the World Cup, and heading to Qatar last week you'd be mad to write him off. A man with a temperament and a swing like his doesn't just go away. His health is back to 100%, so start watching the majors.

Sunday's performance was vintage Karlsson. He shot 65, with 7 birdies and no bogeys. His irons, as always when he's playing well, were scarily good. As usual though, the aspect of his game which won him the title was his mind. He just does not rattle. Put Karlsson and Stenson in a Ryder Cup pairing - they may not win, but from 3 or 4 down they won't fuss. They'll just continue along calmly, being tall and talented and Swedish, and play their own game.

Lee Westwood threw all he had at Karlsson on Sunday. He made 4 birdies in 5 holes on the back, including a ticklish birdie on 14 after Karlsson had stitched his to the pin. Karlsson kept his head, and hit fairways and greens. Westwood bogeyed the 16th, and Karlsson birdied 17 and 18. If there's a man you want to put your house on with a lead coming down the stretch look no further.

It was a fine performance from Alvaro Quiros in defence of his crown. He produced three birdies on the spin to finish and grab solo second place. Quiros is one of the most exciting prospects in world golf at the moment, and he's showed he's not scared of the big stage, posting a strong showing at the US PGA last year. He's a man Monty will want in his team for Celtic Manor - he's got fire in his belly and hits it a million yards.

Westwood may have faltered at the end, but we know he's playing the best golf of his career. He's going to win a major very soon, and don't be surprised if he clocks up 4 or 5 wins on Tour this year, which is no mean feat given the talent around today.

It would be wrong not to mention Paul Casey. Coming back from injury last year has been tough for him, but he played three great rounds here before he just had one of those days. Phil Mickelson did the same last night in Torrey Pines - these things happen. Casey isn't too far of his best golf again.

The final event of the Gulf Swing is on in Dubai this week where Rory McIlroy defends the title he so nearly threw away last year, before making a great sand save at the last. There's nothing short of a phenomenal field playing, including Karlsson and Westwood. We should be in for another fantastic tournament, and before we start, I'm going to go for Karlsson - when he gets on a roll he just keeps on rolling like he'll never stop. He's eyes look keen and back to the best - I'm sure they see another victory waiting in Dubai.

Our Race Is Run

And so it ends.

The inaugural Race to Dubai has run its course, been an unmitigated success, and been won by a worthy winner. Like the FedEx Cup in years before, fears of an anti-climactic final week were rife, but the Dubai World Championship proved to be all it should be and more. Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy went toe-to-toe, until the last 27 holes at least, and the better man won.

No one can deny Westwood this triumph. European No. 1 in 2000, he has come on so much since then. He won six times that year, but he looks altogether more the finished article today.

Westwood had some very tough times in the intervening years; before he got his game back on track a few years ago, he fell out of the world's top 250 players, disappeared of the radar, and apparently considered hanging up his clubs. Let's be thankful he didn't.

Back to his career-highest 4th in the world rankings, he played the golf of his life in Dubai last weekend, shooting 66-64 to take the tournament by six strokes. On Sunday he played simply beautiful golf; his long game is always excellent; on Sunday, he holed everything as well.

His vanquished foes have nothing to be ashamed of. Harrington and McIlroy will look back at costly shots on the closing holes in several rounds, but the fact was that Lee was unbeatable this week.

Nor was he a man to win the Race with a few big money weeks. Like Robert Karlsson last year, it was a year of consistency. Westwood had just two wins, but 13 top-10s this year out of 26 tournaments - not a bad stat - including ties for 3rd in both the Open (where it could have been so much more) and the US PGA. He looks set to take on any challenge now, and I'm confident he'll have a major within the next two years.

Rory McIlroy will no doubt be disappointed not to finish as Number 1, but for him to do what he has done in his second year on Tour is nothing short of immense. He got off to a great start in the Race last November, and kept it going all year long, including winning in Dubai early in 2009, and notching up some big results in the majors and WGCs along the way.

He stills sees everything as a learning experience, and the other guys on Tour must be pretty worried about what he's still learning. His game has matured since that wonderful Open in 2007, and he's held his composure through tricky tests all season.

I'm not going to predict when his first major crown will come (not too far away though), but there's no doubt that he'll win more than once next season.

He's planning on playing both sides of the pond next season, which requires a lot of golf, and I hope he hasn't made the move to the States too soon. Time will tell.

Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer were the other two men in with a chance of winning the Race to Dubai, but neither of them really stayed in the mix as the week progressed. Like McIlroy however, they're still young men, and their hour will come.

Ross McGowan continued his excellent season to finish six strokes behind Westwood (no mean feat this week), and has given himself a healthy start towards a maiden Ryder Cup appearance. But that's another blog....

Padraig Harrington may not have been in with a shout of the money list title this year, but he certainly showed the world that his game is well and truly back on track, after months of tinkering with his swing. He won't be happy finishing the year without a win, but he knows that this year was about setting up a platform for the future, and he's done that alright. Those majors have only whetted his appetite, and he looks keen to take on Tiger for every prize in the game now.

One season ends and another begins. There's seldom a week without golf of some sort or another. The Race to Dubai is won, Westwood has his glory. It's all about to start again though, another 50-tournament run to see who'll do it in Dubai this time next year. There's a lot in between now and then - majors, WGCs, the Ryder Cup.....

So let's just sit back, relax, and let them entertain us.

He Came, He Saw, He Faltered, He Bogeyed, He Hit A Decent Bunker Shot...He Conquered

Few 19-year-olds can get away with saying "Thank God I've finally got that over with", after winning their first European Tour title, passing €1.6 million in prize money, and entering the top 16 in the World rankings. However, with Rory McIlroy, it was the natural response. We all felt the same. For the last 8 months, we've all been waiting impatiently for the young Northern Irishman to enter the winner's circle, heads in hands as he came agonisingly close again. On Sunday, the agony was over.

Not, however, as soon as people thought it would be.

With 5 holes to go, McIlroy had a 6-shot lead. Now, I wasn't trying to bore people with clichés, but I honestly did mention fat ladies and their singing. I've seen people lose leads like that before, and with a chasing pack involving Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Justin Rose and Paul Casey anything could happen. And most of it did.

 The bogey on the 15th - maybe he shouldn't have gone at the flag on the tricky par-3, but I don't believe in playing defensive golf on the back nine on Sunday. It just leads to tightening up. He was striking the ball well; he had to continue the way he was. It's a bogey. It happens.

 The next bogey obviously meant things were wobbling, but the fact that it involved a gutsy 5-footer for the 5 was important. Much like Alvaro Quiros in Qatar last week, he made a bogey which would have felt like a save. 

The last bogey was just bad. 

18th tee - McIlroy's driving had been great all week, and he ripped one down last. He immediately had the advantage, as he could see what ROse decided to play, one stroke behind. In the end, they both hit poor lay-up shots. I don't care if he said it was a perfect lay-up - it wasn't. You don't want a 70-yard wedge in over water on a green sloping back towards the hazard; you want a full shot. 

In the end, he made the best up-and-down of his young career to take the title. Had Rose rolled in his 15-footer to force the playoff...well, we won't think about that. I'm worried I know what would have happened.

Of course it's nice to win a title with a stroll down the last, waving to the crowds. However, the fact that McIlroy hung in there and won it with a bunker shot and 3-footer is so much the better. That's an experience he's going to have to rely on in the future, whether he's in the same position or if he's stepped into Rose's shoes. The first win may be the hardest, but when it's even harder than it should be, it's a great extra club in the bag.

Karlsson, Casey, Stenson and Rose all showed their class once again; they'll all be picking up another win soon enough.

Frustration story of the week was Sergio Garcia. On so many he'd nail his drive, hit an iron in to within 12 feet, and miss the putt. He didn't sink a thing, and finished in the top 15. His putting has always been his weak point, occasionally getting hot when he wins a title, but if he's going to accept the burden he faces now to take a few majors, he has to sort it out. It's easy to say and very difficult to do. The only way to sort it is to hole putts, and get your confidence back.

What was the key to the win? Temperament was important on the last hole, but the difference between McIlroy this week and McIlroy for the last 16 months was his putting. I've said it before - his short putting is very good, but he didn't hole enough middle-distance putts. He did in Dubai. And once they start going in, they only get easier. 

He won't have to remember the putt he missed in the Alps in September to gift-wrap the European Masters to Jean-Francois Lucquin. He'll just remember that putt yesterday evening in the desert, to kick-start the next stage in his career.

It's On

I came to my computer today with a wonderful, catchy, unoriginal blog title in my head for this week's column, only to see that Ewen Murray nicked it for his Sky Sports article. So, "Let the Race Begin..." will have to wait until next year...

I've already spoken about the Race to Dubai, and how I've come around to its way of thinking. I must say, I'm confident now that it is the dawning of a new era for the European Tour. It will provide more competition for all, which can be tough on the journeyman pro, but in the long run, it's a positive. The first event sees Phil Mickelson, Anthony Kim, Mike Weir, and Camilo Villegas to name but a few teeing it up in Shanghai. Kim and Villegas are the new stars of the game, and to have them playing on both sides of the pond is a huge positive for world golf.

Congratulations to Soren Kjeldsen (I finally got a tip right in last week's column) and Robert Karlsson on taking the final Volvo Masters and the Order of Merit respectively. In the end the OM title was almost an anticlimax, but Lee Westwood put up a spirited battle until midway through Sunday. I said last week that Kjeldsen just needed to hole a few putts early, and that's exactly what he did. On Thursday, he only hit 9 greens, and yet had 8 birdies. He played great golf and ground out a win on a very tough course. 

 I hope Valderrama retains a place on the circuit - it's too good a course to miss out on having an event; it's never eaten up by the players and anything can happen down the last 3 holes, so a tournament's never over until the last putt is holed.

Before leaving Spain for Shanghai, just to update you on Seve - he's making good progress apparently, and was speaking to his family yesterday, but he'll remain in intensive care. As always, our best wishes go to him and his family.

So, who's going to lead the Race to Dubai after week 1? I'm going to stick with the guy I've been backing all month. He had a poor start at Valderrama put played solid golf in terrible conditions on Friday and Saturday to come in 11th. He lost in a playoff to Mickelson here last year, after a God-awful chip on the last that ran into the water, when he only needed a 5 for the championship. As long as he gets through that hole on Thursday ok, I think he'll be in the top few come Sunday.

Paul Casey's got a great record at the course - 3 top 10s from 3 starts. He's had a quiet time recently, but if he gets his putter going he'll be in there.

For once I'm not going with Karlsson and Harrington, and I'll probably be punished. I think Karlsson will just have felt such a relief in wrapping up the OM, and he needs a rest. Harrington had a torrid time last weekend, and he needs a good winter break to bring his game back to its best.

Anthony Kim is playing, and that makes it exciting enough. He had a phenomenal year on Tour, with 2 wins and a few more top 5s. He starred in the Ryder Cup, and he's declared his intentions to world golf. He wants to win, and he wants to win everywhere. Don't be surprised if he gets his European Tour career off to the perfect start.

Finally, Sergio. He had a quiet day on Sunday at Valderrame - he just never really got it going. The important thing is that he's playing good golf and putting pretty well. I expect him to be in the top 5 in this once again.

The best thing about golf is that the new season starts 4 days after the old one ends. I'm excited about this - the only problem is it'll be on too early in the morning for me to watch it.

I think it'll be a great event, and a great year for golf.

Enjoy.