| Knokke
Le Zoute, Belgium, 4th October 1998 - England's
Lee Westwood set up a dramatic showdown with Colin Montgomerie in this year's
European rankings battle with a sudden-death playoff victory in the Belgian Open
on Sunday. The
25-year-old Englishman was taken to an extra hole by determined Swede Fredrik
Jacobson but captured the £66,660 ($113,900) first prize by sinking a 25-foot
birdie putt. That
took him to within £45,266 ($77,350) of Order of Merit leader Montgomerie with
just the Volvo Masters, where there is a £166,660 ($284,700) first prize, in Spain
to come at the end of the month. Montgomerie,
who is seeking to head the rankings list for a sixth successive year, did not
play in Belgium. Westwood
and Jacobson had finished on 16-under-par 268, Westwood coming from a stroke back
with a five-under-par 66 to Jacobson's 67. They
were two better than another Swede, Robert Karlsson, and New Zealand's Greg Turner,
who led the third round with Jacobson. Westwood
produced the shot of the week to take over the lead on his own directly after
the turn, having started one behind Jacobson and Turner. His
full wedge shot from 130 yards out at the 10th bounced five feet past the flag
from where it screwed back into the hole for an eagle two. But
Westwood undid the good work with a glaring miss from 15 inches for birdie on
the next hole which cost him outright victory. The
Swede and Turner had been caught immediately by Westwood when the Briton birdied
the first but Jacobson was not fazed and birdies on the fourth and seventh holes
saw him regain the lead. When
he birdied the long 15th he stayed only one shot behind as Turner faded out of
the winning picture with a bogey there. Then
when Jacobson rammed in a 20-footer to birdie the long 17th, it set up sudden-death.
Jacobson hit
the 18th green at the first playoff hole five feet nearer than his opponent but
did not have the same deadly eye as Westwood chalked up his fourth European win
of the year to go with one on the U.S. Tour. "If
somebody had offered me five wins at the start of the year I'd have taken their
hand off," said a delighted Westwood. "I
came here with the intention of winning so that I can go to the Volvo Masters
knowing that if I defend my title there then whatever Monty does can't have any
effect on me. "My
game is the best it's been tee-to-green of my career so I was confident I could
win today. Fredrik made it hard for me and it was a great performance from him
when he came here knowing he needed a result just to keep his card. "It
doesn't pay to be overconfident but my target was 66 and I made it. Obviously
the 10th was a key hole but I think that was justice because a lot of good putts
didn't go in." Westwood
represents England in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews next week and then plays his
first World Matchplay at Wentworth. The
young Englishman's success ended a lengthy lull since his last win at Loch Lomond
just before the British Open. "I
just needed motivation," added Westwood, "and I gave myself a good kick
up the backside because I was feeling sorry for myself just because I'd gone into
a lull. "It
happens in golf and I won't get down on myself like that again." England's
Nick Faldo earned 3,430 Ryder Cup points after finishing 30th on 278 with a 69
and admitted his game was still not completely back in shape. "It's
encouraging that I made more chances and the long game's coming along, "
said the six-times major champion. "My game is frustratingly close."
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