Lee Westwood Wins $1 Million Thailand Golf Championship

Posted on Sunday, 18 December 2011 02:45PM by Golf Equipment from Golf Direct

England's Lee Westwood cruised to a comfortable seven-shot victory at the inaugural US$1 million Thailand Golf Championship for his fourth victory of the season on Sunday. Lee Westwood held of all his challenges to record a dominant seven shot victory. The 38-year-old, who held an overnight four-shot lead, scored a closing three under par 69 to beat South Africa's Charl Schwartzel, who could only manage a last round 72, at the Amata Spring Country Club. It Westwood's 37th career victory and with a 22 under par 266 aggregate, it moves him up one rung to second place on the Official World Golf Ranking. Wearing a Black Bioflow Sport at the Thailand Championship, Lee comments “The advantages were immediate and I couldn’t believe just how comfortable it is to wear. I am convinced it was of great benefit”. View more details on the Bioflow Sports Magnetic Bracelets. The world No3, who will move up to No2, behind Luke Donald, as a result of his win, finished seven shots clear of the Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, with the American Michael Thompson third and another Englishman, Simon Dyson, in a tie for fourth at 12 under. Dyson shot six birdies against three bogeys for a 69, sharing fourth place with Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol, who shot a 67, the equal best round of the day with Germany's Alex Cejka, who was eighth. Westwood began the day four clear of Schwartzel, having led by 11 at halfway after following a stunning 12-under-par first-round 60 with a 64. Schwartzel bogeyed the penultimate hole and slipped further behind with a five at the last. "I've amazed myself really," Westwood said. "It's been staggering, it all came together well. It's probably the best I've ever played." Birdies at the 2nd and 3rd enabled Westwood to be one under through the front nine and he matched Schwartzel's birdie at 12. When he picked up another at the next, he looked home and hosed. Westwood said: "It was nice to hole on top of Charl on 12 and then make the one on 13, it took the pressure off a little bit. I wasn't happy until I was on that boat coming back from the island on 17 with a big lead. "It was special this week because of the difficulty of the course. I've never had an 11-shot lead before and it was difficult to come out and refocus and reset goals. At 20 under after two rounds, it's yours to lose really with an 11-shot lead. There was pressure involved. Yesterday, I didn't know how to approach it or handle it." The 38-year-old added: "I'm in a tricky position because I've been so successful but not won a major. Anytime I've gone a year without a major, people are always going to say it's been a disappointing year for Lee Westwood. If I was to evaluate the way I'm playing now and a year ago, I'm a better player." "I'm going to continue to work on my fitness and all aspects of my game. I'm going in the right direction, I can see a lot of improvement and I'm happy with the way I've finished the year, I've won two out of my last three events. I'll go into the winter with a lot of confidence and I'll try to come out next year playing the same kind of golf as I played this week, a little bit leaner and well rested." More Golf News ..