Winner Westwood through $20m mark

SUTTON COLDFIELD, England -- Lee Westwood became just the seventh player to win $20m on the European Tour after carding a seven-under-par 65, highlighted by a 40-foot birdie putt on the 16th and then a 30-footer for eagle on 17, to win the British Masters at The Belfry.

The former European number one produced the round of the day and one of the best of his life, given the situation, to finish five-strokes ahead of fellow-Englishman Ian Poulter, despite starting the final round two shots behind.

Mark Foster, the leader after the second and third rounds, shot a 74 and finished third, one stroke behind Poulter.

"I've driven the ball as good as I ever have and holed the putts when I needed to," said the 34-year-old Westwood, after capturing the 29th title of his professional career.

"I'm pretty emotional and feeling very happy -- I hardly put a foot wrong out there. The British Masters is a great title on the European Tour and it was one of those I was building up to," added Westwood.

Despite Poulter's efforts to grab the $600,000 first prize, six days before his wedding, he could only applaud the performance of his 2005 Ryder Cup team-mate. "All credit to Lee," he said. "It's nice to see a British winner, but unfortunately it wasn't me."

Westwood joins Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Bernhard Langer in taking his earnings as a member of the circuit through the $20million barrier.

"I came here very positive," added Westwood, who in May ended four years without a win in the Andalucian Open and who had finished ninth, sixth and sixth in the last three weeks.

He now sits top of the Ryder Cup points table and it will be a major surprise if he needs another wild card come the end of the qualifying race next year. E-mail to a friend