European Tour: David Howell lived up to Tiger Woods' new nickname for him - "Cool Dude" - with a marvellous win over the world number one in Shanghai yesterday.
For the first time in his career Howell can now call himself Britain's best golfer. Just 11 weeks after ending six years without a victory, the 30-year-old from Swindon went head-to-head with Woods and not only held him at bay, but left him further behind to take Asia's richest event, the HSBC Champions, by three strokes.
Howell, round in 68 for a 20-under-par total of 268, collected a cheque for almost €700,000 and moves up from 19th to 13th in the world, above Luke Donald and Colin Montgomerie.
With the tournament counting as the first leg of the new European Tour season, he now stands third in the Ryder Cup standings behind Sergio Garcia and Montgomerie and can start making plans for a second cap against the Americans next September.
"As a kid I never dreamt I would be the 13th best player in the world, but I have an inkling I can go even further," he said.
"It's taken me a while, but I am coming to realise that I am pretty good. I am a better player than I ever thought I would be - and I am still not satisfied.
"It was more chaotic with the crowd than I thought it was going to be, but obviously I'm pleased with how I handled myself.
"It was a massive learning experience for me and hopefully it will help in the future. I was like a swan - all serene at the top, but paddling like hell underneath.
"I was nervous all day, but I am not sure it was because of Tiger, strangely. It was a big tournament, I wanted to win and I was more worried about how I would cope."
Howell told Woods, who had scored 70: "We are all honoured to have a chance to beat you and I feel privileged to be playing at the same time."
Later he added: "Tiger has become a legend already. Playing with him is like an FA Cup final for the underdogs."
Masters and British Open champion Woods stated: "David has worked hard and that's what happens. You're going to improve when you put in time, and he certainly has.
"I've made a lot of progress this autumn. Second doesn't feel as good as first, that's for sure, but some wonderfully positive things have happened."
Only one behind with a round to go, Woods never even got on terms and had to settle for a runners-up finish for the second week running.
Do not cry for him, though. It earned him €470,000 on top of what was believed to be an appearance fee of well over €1.3 million for his first official event in China.
When Howell birdied four of the first seven he was five clear, but the gap was back to two after bogeys on the next two.
That was as close as it got, though. Howell birdied the 401-yard 10th from 10 feet and made the most of a lucky break two holes later when he did not hit the best of shots, but saw the ball make it over a bunker and roll up to 15 feet.
Woods followed him in there, but had to keep pressing. He also thinned a chip in to water on the long 14th, and when he tried to drive the green at the 288-yard par four 16th he pushed it into the hazard and bogeyed.
A birdie at the par-five last merely narrowed the gap as Howell took no risks there.
The last time Howell duelled with him was the Masters at Augusta in April.
Woods crushed him 65-76 en route to victory, but Howell is arguably the most improved player in golf this year and he and Donald will start favourites when England defend the World Cup in Portugal this week.
Padraig Harrington closed with a 68 to finish best of the Irish on seven under par. Graeme McDowell had a poor weekend, shooting 75 74 to finish on two under, while Paul McGinley, who will again partner Harrington in the World Cup, closed with a 78 to be six over par.
Outbreak of Ryder flu
Tiger Woods raised a lot of eyebrows yesterday by insisting he prefers the Presidents Cup to the Ryder Cup.
The expected answer might have been about all the functions he has to attend and the effect they have on his normal practice routine.
But instead he said he had more fun "probably because we're all good friends and you see more concessions and more sportsmanship - good sportsmanship".
"That's the way it's supposed to be played and how the Ryder Cup used to be played. Now it's starting to get back to that," the world number one said.
"The Presidents Cup is a lot more enjoyable because of how the sportsmanship is conducted. That's the nature of why both tournaments were started, and unfortunately the Ryder Cup got a little sidetracked."
Woods was further questioned on whether he had witnessed bad sportsmanship since he made his Ryder Cup debut at Valderrama in 1997.
"Let's not say 'sportsmanship'. How about 'gamesmanship'?" he replied. But when asked if there were any examples he cared to share, he said: "Nope."
At the Presidents Cup in September Chris DiMarco referred to "the hatred of the Ryder Cup".
Lee Westwood reacted by saying: "It doesn't exist. There is no hatred in the Ryder Cup. It's just very, very competitive."
