Mcllroy and Westwood back McDowell's magic spell

Dubai: Last year's Race to Dubai winner and current world number one Lee Westwood believes its advantage Martin Kaymer, heading into this weekend's Dubai World Championship to decide the European Tour's Order of Merit winner, but only just.

Graeme McDowell, meanwhile, has a firm fan in his fellow Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. Westwood told a pre-tournament conference at the Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course: "I would rather have the money in the bank than be chasing" in reference to Kaymer's lead of 290,910 euros (Dh1.4 million) over McDowell.

"I think if you look at the odd-makers Martin will be the big favourite. But Graeme has played well recently — It's a big hitter's course, Graeme's not one of the longer hitters, but there's nothing to say he cant win around here. Whoever wins, mentally they will have to be very strong to block a lot of stuff out," said Westwood.

"Martin's leading the money list, but Graeme probably had a little bit of a better Ryder Cup and holed the winning putt — they both have a major, both have won three events — how do you separate them? Martin's played slightly better [over the year] but a lot can happen in a week," added Westwood.

The general consensus heading into the weekend is that Kaymer is better suited to the desert course, given its likeness to his training base in Arizona. Also in his favour is the fact he lost out narrowly last year on the Race to Dubai to Westwood after a lay-off following an untimely go-karting incident set him back to third — the bitterness of that missed opportunity is believed to be good fuel for the German.

World No. 10 Rory McIlroy however suggests the Earth course that so troubled McDowell last year [he finished tied 30th] is no obstacle for the revived G-Mac, who is now ninth in world standings. "He's a better player than he was last year. I think he's shown he can play on the toughest courses in the world."

McIlroy added of McDowell: "He's on a roll where he's putting his name up there every week, that's something he's not managed to do in past seasons. If he's on this week, he'll have a chance. He's on a roll, he's got the momentum."

Fantastic season

"If there's anyone that deserves it this year, its probably him, because I've seen how hard he's worked and how dedicated he has been over the past few years — before the Wales Open, he was just trying to make the Ryder cup squad, he wins Wales, wins the US Open, he's just really kicked on from there. It's been a fantastic season for him," said McIlroy.

Westwood said: "I think Graeme has to finish top three. So he can really forget about the money list and just try and play as well as possible and try and win the event. That's what I did last year. If you can box everything off and get down to the bear bones of it and let everything else be taken care of what you're actually trying to achieve in one week, then that's obviously a lot easier a way to play."

Asked if the winner of this European number one title would be a genuine European number one, given that the world number one is Westwood, English and thus European, Westwood said: "Of course it is. They are two completely different things. Whoever wins the money list deserves it and will have won fair and square. "