Congratulations to Ryan Giggs for winning BBC Sports Personality of the Year on a night when Seve Ballesteros stole the show for his lifetime achievement award.
But I can’t help feeling that the Beeb missed a trick and maybe two. I Just don’t understand what more European player of the year Lee Westwood could have done last year to force his way on to the shortlist. And perhaps the fact that Rory McIlroy is both young and has a personality counted against him in the junior category.
You’d have thought the BBC didn’t cover golf at all.
At least the Association of Golf Writers got it right (or should it be write) by voting Lee as runaway winner of their annual award with Rory also nominated.
Lee’s fantastic season has already been well documented in this column as has Rory’s meteoric rise which will continue next year, but I would also like to mention three other players who don’t command as many column inches... yet.
Big seasons are ahead for Ross McGowan, Simon Dyson and Chris Wood. Ross only turned professional three years ago, spent a year on the Challenge Tour and since winning his way among the big boys has secured a maiden win, finished 12th on the money list and fast-tracked himself towards the world’s top 50. With starts in the Open, the US Open and two World Golf Championship events already guaranteed and with already a million Ryder Cup points accrued, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him at Celtic Manor next September.
Similarly Simon, who made a very big impact at the Alfred Dunhill links after winning the Dutch Open for a second time. It meant that he finished eighth in the money list, but more important inside the world’s top 50 to secure a first start at Augusta next April.
Chris’s pedigree has never been in question who followed up his fifth place finish as an amateur at The Open, by finishing third in his first Open as a professional. He deservedly won Rookie of the Year honours and will start in all the majors next season.
On a slightly different track, I’d like to mention Ernie Els and Darren Clarke. I believe both will come back very strongly in 2010. Ernie has taken up his US tax residency for next year, will not have to come and go as often as this year and consequently will have a much more settled itinerary. His game is also getting back to where it should be.
Darren will also be helped by the new rules involving technology, but more important he is happier than I have seen him in five years. He’s working very hard on course and in the gym and the trials and tribulations of this year should now be behind him. I don’t think it will be long before he’s back in the world’s top 50.
Finally, I’d like to thank everybody who logs on to my column a very happy Christmas and that the New Year holds everything you would wish for yourself.
