Westwood Needs That Major For True Golfing Greatness

Sportsvibe congratulates Lee Westwood on becoming the world number one ranked golfer, taking over from the great but much troubled Tiger Woods.

It is quite an achievement for the likeable, Nottingham Forest supporting stalwart of the European Tour, a former Order of Merit winner, of course, and a mainstay of the Ryder Cup team.

But there is a slight reservation here. Westwood has done absolutely nothing wrong. He has met all the criteria demanded of him, winning or at the very least getting close to winning more tournaments than anyone else over the past two years and by the rules of the global ranking system, deserves his place at the top of the pile.

Throw in the fact that three years ago he was at rock bottom, overweight and under-confident, and Westwood's transformation has been remarkable.

But he has never won a single major, and as Jack Nicklaus, Woods, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player will testify, it is the number of majors victories in which golfing greatness is counted.

It will be a big surprise if Westwood fails to break this duck, especially as he has consistently finished in the top three in the majors in recent years, but unless he does there will always be that asterisk against his name.

Unfair? Well, women tennis players such as the current world number one, Caroline Wozniacki, receive exactly the same criticism.

Is it harder to win a golf major than a tennis Slam? Possibly. But Westwood would swap his number one ranking today for even one victory in The Open, US Open, Masters or US PGA.