LEE Westwood, Europe's new No1, will bolster what is sure to be a stellar cast at Gleneagles when he competes in the £1.4 million Johnnie Walker Championship at the end of the month.
Brimming with confidence following his runner-up finish at Firestone in Ohio over the weekend, the 35-year-old enters this week's final major of the year at the top of his form.
Westwood is among the favourites to win the USPGA Championshi
p at Oakland Hills, and the Englishman will also be the man to be beat over the PGA Centenary Course in Perthshire when the race for Ryder Cup places is concluded from 28-31 August.
Paul McGinley also confirmed his participation yesterday in what will be the final counting event for Europe's golfers to qualify for the Ryder Cup team in September. With captain Nick Faldo planning to announce his own wild-card selections that weekend, this year's Johnnie Walker Championship will enjoy higher profile than ever before.
"We always knew that the special nature of this year's event would make it even more attractive for the players," said tournament chairman Colin Montgomerie, who could well find himself vying with the likes of Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Darren Clarke for one of Faldo's wild cards that weekend. "We're delighted that these well-known names have confirmed. They will certainly help to give the spectators some exciting golf to watch."
Westwood is sure to be one of the biggest draws at Gleneagles after a fine run of form. He has yet to collect a winner's cheque in 2008, but with eight top-five finishes from 15 starts it is surely only a matter of time.
The Worksop resident rose six places to 12th in the world rankings after finishing joint second, just one shot behind champion Vijay Singh, in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He overtook Miguel Angel Jiménez at the top of the European Tour Order of Merit and leapfrogged Ireland's Padraig Harrington to lead the Ryder Cup points table. All he really needs now is a win.
"When I get into contention and play in the last group, I feel very comfortable out there now," said Westwood, who played in the final pairing alongside Tiger Woods and finished one shot off a play-off in the US Open at Torry Pines. "I've got a routine I'm going through, and nothing phases me too much. I hit some nice shots under pressure over the last few holes."
Singh, Westwood and Phil Mickelson had battled all day having started the final round as co-leaders at Firestone, and the Englishman was proud of his effort after recovering from a double-bogey at the seventh to mount a challenge. "I think it will give me confidence," he added. "You know, things like sevens do happen, and to come back from that was great. My distance control and irons were good and I thought I handled the pressure pretty good."
At 45 years and 163 days, Singh became the oldest winner since the WGC events began in 1999 as he sealed a one-stroke victory. "I always feel ten years younger," Singh said. "Now I feel like 20 years younger. It shows that you can still play no matter what your age is. It's just a number.
He added: "I have a great trainer who's taken me to the next level, and I think he's done wonders for me. As you get older, I guess you just have to work a little harder, and that's what he's done to me."
In the absence of injured Woods, Singh, Mickelson and Westwood are among the leading contenders in Michigan for the USPGA. Mickelson is favourite at 10/1, with Singh, champion in 1998 and in 2004, and Westwood among a group of five players listed at 20/1.
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