Defending champion Lee Westwood leads The European Tour back to the mainland this week at the MAPFRE Open de Andalucía by Valle Romano.
After making its first European stop of the 2008 season on the Portuguese island of Madeira, the Tour is heading for the beautiful Aloha Golf Club on Spain’s south coast, where Westwood secured the 17th European Tour victory of his career.
That two stroke win over Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed and Englishman Phillip Archer ended a four year victory drought for Westwood, and provided the launch pad for the 34 year old Englishman to rocket his way back up the Official World Golf Ranking and re-establish himself as one of the finest players of his generation.
"I never really thought about going so long without a win,” said Westwood after crossing the finishing line at Aloha last season. “I've still been playing pretty well and I knew that winning is fickle, sometimes you just don't get across the line first.
"I won so often in the late 90s that if I had a spell where I didn't win, people were always going to highlight it and get on my case about it. But I was never going to get on my own case."
Looking back on his victory, Westwood is the first to acknowledge its importance. He also pays tribute to the role of this week’s tournament promoters, European Tour champions Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and his old Ryder Cup team mate, Miguel Angel Jiménez.
“It was a big win for me in terms of gathering some momentum and getting me back up to where I am now. Defending the title is important – I always like to go back and defend – but I also have to say that Miguel has been a driving force in me going back as well.
“He’s a great man and I have a lot of respect for Miguel – plus I know how difficult it can be to put on a tournament, so I want to give him my support.”
Jiménez is delighted that Westwood is returning to Andalucía to bolster an impressive field for the €1,000,000 event that will see Anders Hansen, Anton Haig, Peter Hanson, Grégory Havret and Martin Kaymer joining them on their journey from America and last week’s WGC – CA Championship.
Two-time Masters Champion José Maria Olazábal will also tee up at Aloha Golf Club. The 42 year old Spaniard had a curtailed 2007 season due to injury, but he will play this week to see what progress he has made. Olazábal remained cautious over his prospects of returning to The European Tour on a full-time basis, and was keen to stress his participation in the MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano was only a “test”.
"This is just a test, nothing else. It does not mean that I am back to competition on a regular basis. I am going to test myself and see how I feel, how does my body react. I am coming to Aloha with doubts, I am not sure whether it will be a matter of just one week and then back home, or I can continue playing some more tournaments.
“I would not like people to get a wrong idea of the situation, I don't want anybody to think that I am back. I am not completely recovered, neither am I feeling a hundred per cent. This is just a test".
Other big names in the field include, of course, Fernandez-Castaño, along with the Northern Irish duo of Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy, former Open Champion Paul Lawrie and Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal winner Alastair Forsyth.
“I am very much looking forward to the event, which has a very good field in this second edition, headed by the defending champion Lee Westwood,” said Jiménez.
“You can be sure we are going to do our best to make it a very special event for everybody, we will ensure that players, sponsors, caddies, officials, media, organisers, all feel at home and share a great week with us.”
