Lee Westwood’’s remarkable albatross two at the dunhill links championship has won The Royal Bank of Scotland Shot of the Month Award for September. He receives The Royal Bank of Scotland Shot of the Month Trophy from Waterford Crystal and a cheque for £1000 to be donated to a charity of his choice.
The English Ryder Cup player holed his 224 yard four iron second shot at the 558 yard ninth hole at Kingsbarns – his final shot in a course record-breaking third round of 62. That stroke, which catapulted Westwood into a 54-hole lead which he did not relinquish, was voted by a panel comprising The European Tour and the golfing media as the best played by a European Tour Member during the month of September.
Westwood went on to win the dunhill links championship by a stroke from South African Ernie Els over the Old Course at St Andrews, his second title in the space of a month following almost three years without a victory.
In second place was the exquisite pitch played by runner-up Els at the 72nd hole at St Andrews, which he rated as “one of the top three” pitches he had played in an illustrious career. Els picked the ball off the turf cleanly and avoided the Valley of Sin to leave himself with a four foot birdie putt, which he duly converted.
Third place went to South Africa’’s Retief Goosen, who played a low running hook around trees at the 15th hole on the third day of the Trophée Lancôme at Saint-Nom-La-Brèteche. Goosen’’s shot to four feet resulted in a birdie as the 2001 and 2002 Volvo Order of Merit winner went on to win the tournament for a second time.
The Royal Bank of Scotland Shot of the Month Award, in association with The European Tour, Sky Sports and Golf Weekly, is presented to the Tour Member for the shot judged to be the most outstanding played during each calendar month on The European Tour International Schedule. In December 2003, the winning shots from each month will be entered towards The Royal Bank of Scotland Shot of the Year Award.
Westwood is the ninth monthly winner, following Trevor Immelman (January), Paul Casey (February), Robert-Jan Derksen (March), Fredrik Jacobson (April), Ignacio Garrido (May), Philip Golding (June), Sergio Garcia (July) and Darren Clarke (August).
