Westwood crowned king in Dubai
November 23rd, 2009 | Lee Westwood, PGA European Tour Golfers, Padraig Harrington, Rory McIloryCongratulations to Lee Westwood after a nerveless final round 64 secured a six shot victory and with it ‘The Race to Dubai’ title for 2009. The putter was certainly working over the weekend… The hard work is certainley starting to pay off!
Westwood, who led by two overnight, produced the finest round of his career to take the €830,675 first prize at the Earth course that also secured his status as European Number One for the second time in his career. With his second victory on The European Tour this season, the win moves Westwood up to World Number Four in the Official World Golf Rankings, matching his highest career position. To cap it all, his closing 64 was also a new course record on the Greg Norman-designed venue.
Congratulations also to Ross McGowan with his second place finish opens up a whole new scheduale for him next year. Ross has also worked hard on his putting and with the ‘palms together grip’. Ross carded a final round 68, including five straight birdies from the 12th, to hold on to second place on 17 under par after a sustained charge from Rory McIlroy, who fired five birdies on his back nine before bogeying the par five 18th to sign for a 67 and with it third place place on 15 under par as well as second in The Race to Dubai.
“I have no complaints. I gave it my best shot and it’s been a great season, but Lee is just in a different class,” said McIlroy, who gains a place in the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings despite finishing runner up in The Race to Dubai. “Most times coming here leading and then finishing third would be good enough [to win The Race to Dubai], but even if I’d played well I’m not sure I could have got to 23 under!
Further down the leaderboard on tied 4th was Padraig Harrington, so all in all, it was a very exciting weekend watching the top 4 putt there way around the Earth Course. What do they say, Drive for Show, Putt for Dough…
Congratulations once again Lee, you certainley rolled a few in!
Lee Westwood
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - NOVEMBER 09: Lee Westwood of England lines up his putt on the par five 18th hole during the first round of the Dubai World Championship on the Earth Course, Jumeriah Golf Estates on November 19, 2009 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Secrets of Success - Want to putt better? Then don’t forget your lipstick
September 18th, 2008 | GEL Golf, Lee Westwood, Padraig HarringtonBiomechanics mastermind Dr Paul Hurrion reveals how to make a difference to your putting.
As vital putts start to drop for the European Ryder Cup team at Valhalla, Kentucky, tomorrow (Friday) no one will be watching the action more closely than Paul Hurrion, writes Graham Otway.
Based at Quintic, near Birmingham, Hurrion, a specialist in sports biomechanics, is the mastermind behind the putting techniques used by Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood.
One of the keys to turning Harrington into a player capable of winning three of the last five golfing majors has been to persuade the Irishman to switch to the left-handunder- right putting method.
But getting his pupils to develop the body posture and cut down excessive body movement in the putting stroke has turned Hurrion into one of the most sought-after short-game gurus in the UK.
Lack of movement is the key to successful putting, says Hurrion, who began his career as a sport scientist analysing fast bowlers in cricket.
“Keeping the head still is important,” he says. “Players should not look up until after the ball has been struck.
“When they take up their putting stance it’s also vital that the eyes are directly over the ball — it helps align the putter correctly and visualise the line on which a putt should be struck.”
Making sure the putter has been fitted correctly is important, too. At the time of address the club lies flat on the ground. “If the toe is in the air, the putter’s loft is altered and the ball will almost certainly drift to the left.”
Hurrion has begun to market his own range of GEL putters, which have been designed to marry up with the biomechanics of putting.
“But,” he says, “becoming successful on greens is very much down to the golfer and how much work they are prepared to put into the game.
“Putting should be part of a routine. For instance, by marking a club face with lipstick when practising, golfers can make sure they are hitting the ball with the same part of the putter face.
“Things like that make a difference — more than just turning up to play a round, hitting a few putts on the practice green and then expecting to hole everything.”
Graham Otway - The Daily Telegraph - Telegraph Golf Club page of the Sports section 18th September 08
Westwood’s Putting Test
May 21st, 2008 | Lee Westwood, Putting Biomechanics
Lee Westwood has been working with Dr Paul Hurrion this week as he prepares for the BMW PGA Championship which starts at Wentworth tomorrow.Following a session with the putting guru last week, the 35-year-old Worksop professional burst into contention for the Irish Open at Adare Manor with a third round 64 when his putter was red hot.However, he couldn’t keep it going and eventually finished joint third so the pair have spent more time together again this week.
“I usually see Paul when I’m struggling,” said Westwood. “which is probably the wrong thing to do. I should see him more often…
“I’ve been working with him since just after the US Open last year. He’s the same guy that Padraig (Harrington) sees in Birmingham.“I usually see Paul once every two months. I saw him on the Tuesday before the Irish Open, so I’ve seen him a bit recently. He’ll be at the next few English tournaments.“He’s given me a few things to work on. A couple of things I knew I needed to work on but he gave me better advice.”
Westwood changed his putting grip in Ireland.
He said: “I suggested that I wanted to go left below right. I felt comfortable like that because it takes your shoulders more level.
“I did it before in Spain last year for the second, third and fourth rounds, left below right.”
Westwood hasn’t been happy with his putting this season and went to see Hurrion a couple of weeks after the US Masters in Augusta. He said: “My putting’s not really been up to standard this year. Last week, I did quite a bit of work on my putting and short game and hit a few more balls.
“Normally, it takes me a tournament to get going again and the putting is starting to feel better, so I’m quite positive. “I’m pleased how it is going. I really feel like I’m starting to start it on the line that I want, and it’s smooth and I’m starting to make more of the 15-footers that I ought to be making.”
Westwood still relies on his dad, John, to keep an expert eye on his long game but believes the subtleties of the short game needs some something extra.
He said: “The putting is a game within the game really, and we just need that specialist approach. “It’s not like swinging the golf club as such. The golf club works in different ways and if you know somebody that knows the ins and outs of putting, then it would be silly not to use them.”
EAMONN GAVIGAN
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/
Lee Westwood triumphs at ‘The Belfry’ with a final round 65!
September 23rd, 2007 | Lee Westwood, PGA European Tour Golfers, Putting BiomechanicsLee Westwood renewed his love affair with The Belfry after he won the Quinn Direct British Masters with a flawless final round of seven under par 65 to claim his second victory of the 2007 season. Westwood’s 15 under par 273 total secured a five shot victory from fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, who shot 70 for a ten under par 278 total. Ian admitted he had been floored by his rival’s birdie-eagle run on holes 16 and 17.
Fellow Worksop resident and Westwood’s good friend, overnight leader Mark Foster, who also has been working hard on his putting with Dr Paul Hurrion, shot 73 and finished third on nine under par 279.
Both Foster and Poulter threatened during an enthralling final round tussle between the trio, but Westwood pulled clear down the stretch – and the manner of his triumph was emphatic.
A packed 18th hole, from fairway to greenside grandstand, cheered Westwood home, and the delighted golfer said: “I am feeling very happy. I’ve had some special moments in my career here – and this one is right up there. I don’t think I’ve ever been clapped the entire length of the final hole, which is obviously very, very special.”
On his round, he continued: “I barely put a foot wrong out there and made some key putts when I needed to on the back nine.
“On the 16th, I holed a big 35 footer like that in the 2002 Ryder Cup against Tiger and Davis, and I said that to Alastair my caddie after it went in. We went on to lose that match in the last two holes, but this time I managed to follow it up with an eagle. That put the icing on the cake with a 25ft putt…”
“the birdie-eagle run on holes 16 and 17 was crucial… I have been working hard on my putting with Dr Paul Hurrion, it’s starting to feel comfortably and i’m hitting the ball on the line that i have read… The putt on 16 I knew was very fast and had a lot of break on it. Al thought I’d left it short, but I judged it right. It just managed to topple in. The one on 17 was pretty straight and getting the line was the critical thing.
Mark Foster, who led by two strokes overnight, took heart from his display during the tournament as he came close to capturing his maiden European Tour victory.
“It has been a great week and I’m sure when I reflect on it later tonight, that’s what I’ll be thinking. It is the first time I have led going into a final round, the first time I have slept on a lead. Everything is experience, so I have learnt a bit at least.”
Westwood Credits Putting Form to Quintic Putting Laboratory & Dr Paul Hurrion
July 13th, 2007 | Lee Westwood, PGA European Tour Golfers, Putting BiomechanicsA trip to the Quintic putting laboratory paid instant dividends for Lee Westwood when the Briton moved into a tie for the first-round lead at the Scottish Open on Thursday.
I have been playing well recently without putting well,” he told reporters after joining fellow countryman Graeme Storm, Dane Soren Hansen and American Phil Mickelson on six-under-par 65 at the British Open warm-up event.
“I went to see (Dr Paul Hurrion) in Birmingham last Thursday that Padraig Harrington and David Howell work with, he gave me the treatment…”
The experienced Ryder Cup campaigner realised his problem straight away.
“I was shocked how bad it was,” said Westwood. “I could see immediately why I wasn’t making any putts.
“It is imperative you make putts and I haven’t been making them, only when I won at the Andalucia Open in May. It’s been abysmal pretty much all year.”
Hurrion’s expertise quickly evoked memories of Westwood’s halcyon days when he regularly featured in the top three on the European order of merit.
“A lot of the tips were like how I putted between 1998-2000…my hands high, keep the ball on my left side,” said the 34-year-old Englishman.
“He has a hard floor, like a putting-green surface, carpet, cameras all over the room and mirrors. I was there for about four hours which is longer than I’ve putted for as long as I can remember.”
Westwood now makes a series of checks when he is on the practice green.
“It was very informative,” said the 1998 Scottish Open champion. “I learned about eight things to think about when I practise. I am now starting the ball on-line a bit more and getting the pace back.”
Reports:
Westwood hot after his ‘kinky’ encounter - Independent Online …
The solution came with a trip to the laboratory of Dr Paul Hurrion, aka “the putting Professor”, a lecturer in sports science and a bio-mechanist. …
http://sport.independent.co.uk/golf/article2765506.ece - 12 Jul 2007
Putting lab visit yields fast benefits for Westwood | Breaking …
“I went to see a guy (Paul Hurrion) in Birmingham last Thursday that Padraig Harrington and David Howell had worked with and he gave me a few tips.” …
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6775655,00.html - 12 Jul 2007
European Tour Website:
http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pageid=127&pagegid=%7BAEFB93B0%2DEFF5%2D4C05%2DAB0F%2DFD08D947D944%7D&infosid=3&eventid=2007058&reportid=57948
Golf Blogger
http://www.golfblogger.co.uk/2007/07/12/westwood-credits-upturn-in-putting-form-to-quintic-putting-laboratory/
BlogRoll
Categories
- Biomechanics Consultancy
- David Howell
- Full Swing Biomechanics
- GEL Golf
- Hi-Tec
- Ladies European Tour
- Lee Westwood
- OneAsia
- Padraig Harrington
- PGA European Tour Golfers
- PGA Tour
- Philip Archer
- ProStance
- Putting Biomechanics
- Quintic Ball Roll
- Quintic Video Software
- Rory McIlory
- TPI
- Tuition
Archives
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- October 2006
- August 2006
- June 2006
- March 2006