Westwood Moves Clear At Top Of Race to Dubai Standings

With his victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA, England’s Lee Westwood moves clear at the top of the Race to Dubai leaderboard.

Westwood won for the 25th time on the European Tour, and with the victory in Abu Dhabi, the 46-year-old became the first player to win on the Tour in four different decades. The win gives the Englishman 1,165 points on the Race to Dubai leaderboard, and he holds a lead of almost 600 points, having more than double the number of points than his nearest challenger, thanks to winning the first Rolex Series event of the season.

The man in second place is Branden Grace, who did sit at the top of the Race to Dubai standings following his victory at the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg.

His victory at Randpark GC was his second appearance on the Tour this season, and he featured this week in Abu Dhabi as well, coming home in T17 to keep him ahead of the three men that finished runners-up on Sunday afternoon.

More from Pro Golf Now

The English duo of Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood, along with Frenchman Victor Perez, all have 522.6 points after finishing in T2 in Abu Dhabi, and the trio all sit in a tie for 3rd on the Race to Dubai leaderboard following their first scoring results this season.

South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen sits in 6th spot, having finished 2nd to Grace at last week’s South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg, followed by a 5th place result in Abu Dhabi.

The next three men on the list are the other three winners on the European Tour so far in the early part of the 2020 season.

In 7th is Pablo Larrazabal, who took the victory at the season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship, picking up 460 points for his troubles.

Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard sits in 8th spot, having featured in more events than any other member of the top ten. The third-youngest player to ever win on the Tour has appeared at four tournaments, with glory coming at the AFRASIA BANK Mauritius Open, where he won out in a three-man playoff.

Australia’s Adam Scott is in 9th place, having won on home soil at the Australian PGA Championship, his only appearance on the European Tour to date this campaign.

The final member of the top ten on the current Race to Dubai leaderboard is Sweden’s Joel Sjöholm, whose best result of the campaign came at the season-opener, where he finished runner-up to Larrazabal.

The next event will see the European Tour remain in the United Arab Emirates, with the field moving north to Dubai for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, which begins on Thursday.

Race to Dubai Top Ten:

1 – Lee Westwood (ENG) – 1,165.0
2 (-1) – Branden Grace (RSA) – 565.3
T3 – Victor Perez (FRA) – 522.6
T3 – Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) – 522.6
T3 – Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) – 522.6
6 (-) – Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) – 519.0
7 (-5) – Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) – 460.0
8 (-5) – Rasmus Højgaard (DEN) – 347.9
9 (-5): Adam Scott (AUS) – 335.0
10 (-5): Joel Sjöholm (SWE) – 323.6

Next. John Smoltz: What’s up with that self-standing Bloodline putter?. dark

Upcoming Tournaments:

Jan 23-26: Omega Dubai Desert Classic – 4,250 points available
Jan 30-Feb 2: Saudi International – 4,250
Feb 6-9: ISPS Handa Vic Open – 2,000
Feb 20-23: WGC – Mexico Championship – 9,000
Feb 27-Mar 1: Oman Open – 2,750

Home/European tour