Westwood returns to form with BMW title

Britain's former world number four Lee Westwood emerged from the wilderness to claim his first victory in nearly three years when he clinched the BMW International Open on Sunday by three shots.

Westwood's seven birdies in 10 holes from the ninth took him to a closing six-under-par 66 for a 19-under-par 269 total, three shots better than Germany's Alex Cejka.

Afterwards, the tearful European Ryder Cup player said his slump had so depressed him that at one stage he considered taking a six-month break.

It was the 30-year-old Westwood's first strokeplay success since the Belgian Open in September 2000, the year he became European number one, and his first win since the World Match Play two weeks later in 2000.

Since then, Westwood has plummeted to 215th place in the world from number four at the end of 2000.

His $326,000 win, though, will take him back up the world rankings in the week before Europe's Ryder Cup campaign begins.

Westwood began the final round three strokes adrift of Sweden's Robert Karlsson and hardly looked as though he would win when he bogeyed the seventh hole.

But then as Karlsson started floundering, a double-bogey at the 10th when he three-putted from 10ft proving particularly costly, Westwood began his victory march with three successive birdies from the 11th.

When he birdied the last three holes, his barren period ended with a 15th European Tour title.

"There were times when I thought about putting the clubs away and not ever getting them out again and calling it a day," said Westwood after chalking up his 25th pro title worldwide.

"But that would have been the easy thing to do.

"I've battled it out and, hopefully, this is one of many rewards."

He said that simply seeing his name on the leaderboard had been a big spur during the final round.

"I just enjoy being in the lead with my name on the leaderboard and in front of people," added the Englishman, whose determination to succeed has meant long hours working with coach David Leadbetter, including a spell before coming to Munich.

"I've worked hard for three years to get it back."

He continued: "The two-month break I took after my son was born (at the start of 2001) wasn't the problem because my technique had become flawed and I was just getting by on adrenalin. Hopefully, I will come out of this all a stronger player."

Westwood revealed that such was his confidence in his regained form that he placed a bet on himself before the tournament at 66-1. He declined to say how much he had won.

Three more Britons, Westwood's brother-in-law Andrew Coltart, Paul Casey and Gary Evans, Swede Peter Hedblom and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, finished four strokes behind in joint third place.

Karlsson also double-bogeyed the 16th to drop back to only a share of eighth place, five shots away from victory, with a 74.

Home favourite Cejka showed the form which earned him fourth place in the U.S. PGA championship with a 67.

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