Westwood was shopping for Veggies and Rubber Gloves near his home when he learnt he had dethroned american Tiger Woods
Westwood was shopping for veggies and rubber gloves near his home when he learnt he had dethroned american Tiger Woods Lee Westwood yesterday celebrated the most satisfying moment in his careeru00a0-- but only after a supermarket trip "to buy rubber gloves and mashed potatoes."
Westwood will be officially confirmed as the new World No 1u00a0 today after Martin Kaymer failed to achieve the top-two finish required in the Andalucia Masters.
Kaymer needed to win or share second place with no more than one other player if he, rather than the absent Westwood, was to succeed Tiger Woods when the American's 281-week reign ends this week.
But the USPGA champion never threatened to do so and was outside the top 20 when he signed for a closing 75 at Valderrama yesterday.
Westwood had been keeping an eye on Kaymer's progress all week, and that extended to monitoring the European Tour's website in Sainsbury's as he ran errands yesterday.
The champagne duly flowed at home later as Westwood reflected on a remarkable turnaround in fortunes which sees him become Europe's first No 1 since Nick Faldo in 1994, seven years after slumping to 266th in the rankings.
Asked if it was the most satisfying moment in his career, the 37-year-old said: "Yes. It's a great honour and a big responsibility.
When you are growing up and people say what do you want to achieve, everyone says I want to be the best in the world. Right at this moment I can show people the world rankings and say I am the best on the planet."
Westwood meet with the man he deposed as World No 1, with Woods among the field at the forthcoming Champions event in Shanghai.
"I have a great relationship with Tiger," added Westwood, who travels to Shanghai this afternoon. "We have mutual respect and have always got on well, on and off the course.
I give him a little bit of stick and he gives me a little. When Tiger was in his pomp everyone thought it (being No 1) was unattainable. But form comes and goesu00a0-- I'm a perfect example of that."
