CASPER
New member
SHANGHAI – Lee Westwood did everything expected out of the No. 1 player in the world at the HSBC Champions.
Except win.
In only his second stroke-play tournament in three months, and his first since replacing Tiger Woods atop the world ranking, Westwood went into the weekend just one shot behind Francesco Molinari. The Englishman didn't make a single bogey over the final two rounds, matched the low round of the day on Saturday and Sunday, and wound up in the same spot he started.
"No negatives in a performance like that," Westwood said. "I mean, 18-under par and nine shots clear of third is never too bad."
It was a reflection of how well Molinari — and Westwood — played in the final World Golf Championship of the year.
Molinari also shot 67-67 on the weekend, including a key birdie on the 16th hole that gave him a cushion, and went on to win the HSBC Champions by one shot for his first victory in four years.
He finished at 19-under 269, earned $1.2 million and moved to No. 14 in the world ranking.
Molinari said it didn't remind him of match play. The Italian has had enough of that for awhile after getting trounced by Woods in Ryder Cup singles a month ago. But being so far ahead of everyone else, Molinari and Westwood watched each other's every move.
"I was trying to birdie every hole because both of us were playing really well, and we knew pars weren't going to be good enough," Molinari said.
For Westwood, it was a microcosm of his year — consistently great with no trophy to show for it.
He rose to No. 1 in the world not by winning majors or winning multiple times, as PGA champion Martin Kaymer and U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell have done. But that's not what the world ranking is all about.
