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Drama queen Lee back to work
AFTER behaving like a drama queen - by his own admission - and then receiving an OBE from The Queen at Buckingham Palace, it was back to work for Lee Westwood today.
Westwood faced Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, keen to show that his finish in Dubai two weeks ago was just a bad day at the office, or, more accurately, a bad day on the greens.
England’s world number two, who will go top of the rankings again if he wins on Sunday and defending champion Luke Donald does not make the quarter-finals, was furious afterwards.
The following morning he went on Twitter to declare his “16-hour sulk” over and said: “Well tossed that one away nicely! Carnage on the greens! Managed not to break or smash anything post round!
“Waved the putter at it 33 times. Not even good enough for the monthly medal with form like that.
“Have now given Billy [caddie Billy Foster] approval to slap me (within reason!) if I don’t run the ball at the hole with pace over the next three weeks!”
Westwood confessed in Arizona to being “a bit of a drama queen” in his reaction and that he was fairly happy with his start to the season.
He finished the Desert Classic a stroke behind Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello after failing to get up and down from just off the last green.
“It felt like the damage had been done before then. I gave myself seven or eight birdie chances and didn’t make any of them.”
Winning all six games this week must seem a long way off teeing off because in 11 previous trips to the 64-man event he has never even made the last 16.
Colsaerts is one of Europe’s biggest-hitters and Dove Mountain can be set up as the longest course played all year, but for the last two winners Ian Poulter and Donald a sharp short game proved more important.
Donald could also be dethroned by Rory McIlroy at the weekend, but for the 22-year-old Northern Irishman to take over at the top for the first time he has to win and Donald has to go out either today or tomorrow.
McIlroy opened against George Coetzee and Donald against former world number one Ernie Els. The two South Africans are playing only because Phil Mickelson opted to go on holiday and Paul Casey is still recovering from injury.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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