Lee Westwood revealed he is throwing everything at breaking his major duck after finishing down the field in the European PGA Championship here at Wentworth.
Lee Westwood revealed he is throwing everything at breaking his major duck after finishing down the field in the European PGA Championship here at Wentworth.
The world number three carded a last round 66, five-under par to finish seven shots behind overnight leader Chris Wood, who was due out later in the afternoon beside Sweden's Robert Karlsson.
Taiwan's Thongchai Jaidee was also under par, shooting a last round 67 to finish level for the tournament. Westwood, who endured near misses at the three most recent majors, has not entered the Welsh Open, at Celtic Manor - the Ryder Cup venue - to concentrate on his preparation for the US Open at Pebble Beach, California, that starts on June 17.
The Englishman said: "I would have liked to have played in Wales and played competitive golf around there.
"But I want to be getting into peak form for the US Open. I played at Quail Hollow and I was in contention at the Players' Championship and that takes a lot out of you.
"This (European PGA Championship) is a big event as well. I am playing in Memphis the week before the US Open and I like to play competitively before a major."
Westwood said he had spoken to European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and told him he would have a look at Celtic Manor before the match against the United States in October.
He added: "I will go down there a couple of weeks before the Ryder Cup and try to get a bit of a look at the course. It may change between now and then." Meanwhile George O'Grady, chief executive of the European Tour, confirmed he was satisfied with the drug testing programme on tour.
The drugs issue reared its head again when, in a recent survey of 71 players, 24 percent said they thought Tiger Woods had taken performance enhancing substances, despite the world number one's denials.
O'Grady said: "We are very happy with the drug testing programme and how it takes part. Exactly the same thing has happened on the PGA Tour and I have no discussions on any other items or any other single player.
"We are very comfortable at the moment."
O'Grady also confirmed that the European PGA Championship will be held at Wentworth for the next four years, after agreeing another deal with the primary sponsor, and that the World Match Play, which was held at Wentworth from 1964 to 2007 will not take place this year.
The tournament was moved to Spain last year, after a year off, but O'Grady said: "There will not be a World Match Play in 2010. Plans are well advanced to bring it back on to the schedule in 2011 but the dates are impossible to work out to the satisfaction of the of the promoter with the date they originally had."
© 2010 AFP/sid



