The golfing world is hardly shuddering as a consequence of the International team's comfortable win over the United States in the President's Cup, but Lee Westwood - who yesterday received his award as Europe's Golfer of the Year at Wentworth - believes the result will have repercussions for next year's Ryder Cup in Brookline, Massachusetts.
"I think their defeat in Australia will make the Americans twice as determined to win back the Ryder Cup. I'm already looking forward to it immensely," said the 25-year-old Englishman, who collected his award after a season in which he won seven times worldwide and collected prizemoney in excess of £1.6 million.
The Americans will be a handful next year. "They are going to be keen to stick it to us. They got a bit of a trouncing. However, there is nothing to compare with the Ryder Cup . . . and I can't imagine what it will be like in Boston. There'll be thousands of Irish there for a start."
The United States were on the wrong end of a 20 1/2-11 1/2 beating from the International side (a Rest of the World team minus European players), the first time that they have lost in the fledgling competition which has had three stagings. Westwood would like to see Europe take on Greg Norman, Ernie Els and company in an expansion of the team matchplay fare.
"I think there's room for it and I don't think it would devalue the Ryder Cup," he commented. But Westwood's enthusiasm was not shared by members of the International team. "I don't really think that is something we would like to get involved with," said Australian Steve Elkington. "The Ryder Cup is the Ryder Cup, it has a lot of history. This is a very young event but it has grown quite unique in the six years that we have had it."
The success of the first staging of the President's Cup outside of the United States has prompted the organisers to rotate the event every two years and, already, the battle is on between Japan, South Africa and New Zealand to play host to the event in 2002.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods will end the year as world number one, the first time in three years that Greg Norman hasn't occupied the position at year's end. Norman, who missed seven months due to an operation, has slipped down to 18th place in the rankings. Darren Clarke remains at number 17.
However, Westwood has made Woods's number one spot a target for next year. "I don't think I'm quite at his level yet, but all the time I'm learning and maturing. He has been playing since he was two, whereas I didn't pick up a club until I was 13. I don't come from a golfing background either and I think that's why I haven't done that well in the majors yet.
"I don't have the experience and I haven't been going into them seeing myself as a realistic contender. This year I won before every major and I was going in as a bookmakers' favourite, but in my own mind I was only there to see how high up I could finish rather than thinking I could win. Technically, I think I'm improving all the time and I believe I will be a contender next year."
