Westwood's 25th Tour win opens Ryder Cup door again

Lee Westwood. Photo: PA

Brian Keogh

Lee Westwood claimed his 25th European Tour win in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to surge into contention for an 11th Ryder Cup cap.

One ahead overnight, the veteran (46) closed with a five-under 67 to win by two strokes on 19-under from Matthew Fitzpatrick, who also shot 67, and Tommy Fleetwood and France's Victor Perez, who both shot 63.

"Ecstatic, elated, a bit emotional," Westwood said after joining Mark McNulty and Drogheda's Des Smyth as just the third man to win in four decades on the European Tour.

The Workshop man's first win since the 2018 Nedbank Challenge catapults him to fourth in the Ryder Cup standings behind Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Perez and from 63rd to 29th in the world. "I'm not sure I can take any more Ryder Cups," Westwood joked moments after claiming a 44th career win that gets him into all this year's Majors and World Golf Championships. It was good watching the lads last time but then if it's a chance of making the team I might as well go for it."

He was an assistant captain for Thomas Bjorn in Paris two years ago having lost his three matches on his most recent playing appearance under Darren Clarke in Europe's 17-11 defeat at Hazeltine in 2016.

"I would love to play another Ryder Cup as long as I'm good enough," he added. "I wouldn't want a pick, but if I qualified, I would definitely play."

At the Sunshine Tour's Eye of Africa PGA Championship, Darren Fichardt beat fellow South African Matias Calderon with a birdie at the third playoff hole while Gavin Moynihan closed with a three-over 75 to finish tied for 34th on five-under-par.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy's Holywood protege Tom McKibbin (17) put up a fight but lost 5&3 to local hero Jed Morgan (20) in the final of the Australian Amateur Championship in Brisbane.

The Newtownabbey prodigy was six down after 12 holes in the 36-hole final at Royal Queensland and four down after the first 18 holes. But after falling six down early on, he fought back to three down with seven to play before finally waving the white flag.