EUROPEAN TOUR PORTUGAL MASTERS:LEE WESTWOOD is possibly two events away from doing something never achieved on the European Tour - winning the Order of Merit without winning a tournament.
Just a month after Oliver Wilson became the first player to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup without first lifting a title, Westwood goes into the Portugal Masters third on the Order of Merit with more than €2.2 million.
Those are the sort of riches on offer on the circuit now, even in a season when he has had 12 top-10 finishes, but not a single win.
Victory at the Victoria Club in Vilamoura is worth almost €514,000 and could take him ahead of both Robert Karlsson and Pádraig Harrington, with only the Volvo Masters to come.
But even second place on Sunday might bring him on to the Swede's heels and set up a showdown at Valderrama in two weeks.
Westwood, who has decided not to play next week's Castellon Masters in Spain, is not allowing the lack of a victory to cloud the progress he feels he has made.
"I think it's been a great year," he said. "It's the first time I could have won a major (he was a shot away from the US Open play-off between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate) and did well in the World Championships.
"It's a fine line between winning and finishing second and third. I could quite easily be sitting here with four, five, six wins this year."
Harrington was one, of course, who experienced a long period like Westwood has been having of late - and look at him now.
"Pádraig has got a couple of years on me, and I'm building up experience all the time," added the 35-year-old. "I feel like sooner or later I ought to win a major championship."
Part of the reason Westwood has pulled out next week is because he is having his tonsils out next month.
"I figured if I played three weeks in a row I would get run down. I've got a little cold - kids pass them on when they come back from school.
"I'm more likely to play well in the Volvo Masters having another week off before."
With Harrington away in Bermuda at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, Westwood has been paired not only with Karlsson but also Miguel Angel Jimenez, fourth on the Order of Merit, in the opening two rounds.
Karlsson is going for a third successive victory, something not achieved on the European Tour since Tiger Woods won the British Open, US PGA at Medinah and Bridgestone World Championship two years ago.
"I've never been this confident," said the 39-year-old, runner-up to Steve Webster in the event last year.
Darren Clarke, up to 60th in the world after two wins this season, is aiming to break back into the top 50 by the end of the year, which would put him into all four majors next season.
Portugal Masters
Course: Oceânico Victoria GC, Vilamoura, Algarve
Length: 7,177 yards, par 72
Prizemoney: €3 million
Field: Small (126)
Defending champion: Steve Webster
Course record: 61, Martin Kaymer
On TV: Sky Sports, 12.0-14.0, 16.30-18.30
Weather: Tomorrow, dry and sunny, with temperatures middle 20s.
Friday, chance of late afternoon showers. Rain and a thunderstorm possible before sunrise.
