| London, December
4, 1998 - Lee Westwood
has been named European Tour Golfer of the Year after a season during which he
won seven titles in six countries.
The 25-year-old
Englishman, who is playing in the Million Dollar Challenge in South Africa this
week, was chosen ahead of Colin Montgomerie by a panel comprising members of the
Association of Golf Writers (AGW) and European Tour officials.
Montgomerie, winner the last three years and winner of the European Order
of Merit title for the sixth successive year, was second in the voting. Voting
figures were not released. "It has been a fantastic season and this really
does put the crown on it," Westwood said from Sun City. "It's very nice
to be recognised by people working within the game but outside the ropes."
Westwood won the Freeport McDermott Classic in New Orleans in April and added
the European TPC, the English Open, the Loch Lomond World Invitational and the
Belgacom Open in Europe. Then last month he won his third successive Taiheiyo
Open title and the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan. Results of a second poll of the
full AGW membership will be announced later this month. Click
here for Lee Westwood's 1998 European Tour Record | 
