[Ian Hudson]

In winning the Malaysian Open Lee Westwood played the best golf of his season in the week after a major. Luke Donald all but won the US Tour after missing the cut in the Masters.

Ian Poulter believed he could have contended in the first major of the season if he had played the par 5s better. Justin Rose won the US Open last year, thus becoming the first English player to win one of the four most prestigious prizes in golf since Sir Nick Faldo’s third Masters in 1996.

Donald and Poulter consistently underperform in the majors but Westwood is the only player to finish in the top three in each without actually winning one.

From tee to green Westwood is still one of the best players in the world but his putting often lets him down at the business end of the championships that offer the historic prizes. It must be galling that he putted well in Malaysia and something similar at Augusta would have seen him right in the mix.

Poulter has admitted that last year’s Ryder Cup will always be his greatest achievement in golf. He is inspired by the team format but doesn’t get quite as motivated when playing as an individual. With so many younger potential major champions winning one of the huge prizes in terms of prestige may be beyond him.

Donald came into the Masters on a decent run of form and his second place finish in the RBC Heritage suggested his game was in good order. However, another major has passed without an English player in contention and it’s hard to see how the three named can go up to a new level over the rest of their careers.

By Ian Hudson
Sports Betting Writer
http://www.ianhudsonsport.co.uk/subscribe