The flamboyant Ian Poulter finally landed his maiden WGC title at the 2010 Accenture Match Play defeating Paul Casey in the event’s first all-English final. It was an extraordinary week for the European Tour as all four semi-finalists and seven of the final eight were drawn from the ‘other’ tour, the first time in the history of these events such domination has been achieved.

Arizona will stage the latest world championship from February 23 and the betting markets on European domination are as buoyant as the perky Poulter himself.

EUROPE has the leading two players in golf’s world standings, and it seems only a matter of time before German Martin Kaymer rises to the top of the pile.

Victory in the Abu Dhabi championship in January lifted the German above Tiger Woods and into second place behind England’s Lee Westwood.

It is way back in the history books, 18 years to be precise, since European golfers produced the results to get them to the top of the pile, and much of the betting suggests that Kaymer will soon be top dog.

THE Volvo Golf Champions may qualify as one of the most unusual tournament names on golf’s European Tour, but events in Bahrain in February will be another pivotal step on the Race to Dubai standings, where fortunes can be earned on the drop of a putt.

The first nine players to enter the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain boast more than 100 international titles between them.

THE best there is, Lee Westwood has proven himself in the past couple of years in all four corners of the globe, and in the white hot atmosphere of the Ryder Cup, to be the best golfer on the planet.

But there is one glaring omission on his CV. That of a major champion.

To be one of the best in history, to take a place in the standings as an all-time great, a golfer must win one of the four major tournaments which are held each year: the US Masters, the Open championship, the US Open and the US PGA championship.