Westwood begins life as top dog in the supermarket

Rather than pacing his living room nervously waiting to see if he was going to knock Tiger Woods off the top of the world rankings, Lee Westwood opted for a shopping trip to buy rubber gloves and mashed potato.

The Briton monitored the European Tour website as he paced the aisles before returning to his Worksop home to crack open champagne with his parents.

It was a typically low-key way for the genial 37-year-old Briton to reach the summit, a fitting reward for the dedication which has made him the most consistent player in the world.

"My Dad's been there through thick and thin. He's watched nearly every lesson I've ever had," Westwood told a teleconference on Sunday.

"He's always been there with good advice and he knows more than most people how hard I've worked and how frustrating it was when I dropped down the rankings."

Westwood slipped to 266th in the world after a form slump following his 2000 European order of merit win and the birth of his first child Sam.

But he regrouped, went back to basics and turned his game around completely, winning his second order of merit last year and finishing in the top three in four of his last five majors.

"Getting to the top of the rankings isn't something you set out to do. With Tiger in his pomp everybody kind of thought he was unattainable," he said.

"But obviously people go through different things in their lives and form comes and goes. I'm one of the best examples of that.

"When you get to rock bottom you have to break your game down and rebuild."

As for his own game, superb from tee to green but which occasionally lets him down around the greens, Westwood said he was happy with his chipping and putting as he continues his quest for an elusive first major.

"I think my short game's improved a lot over recent years, and I think I putt pretty well under pressure," he said as Sam played in the background.

"Do your children know their dad is world number one?," asked one journalist.

"There are more interesting things on TV," replied Westwood before firing another sharp answer to the question of whether he would be referring to Woods as number two.

"No I'm not in that Ian Poulter category," he said in reference to flamboyant compatriot and world number 16 Poulter, who said in 2008 that he thought he was the only player capable of challenging Woods.

Westwood took over as world number one when the new rankings were published on Monday after Ryder Cup team mate Martin Kaymer finished down the field at the Andalucia Masters.

Westwood ended Tiger Woods's unprecedented 281-week reign at the top of the rankings after German Kaymer finished with a closing 75 for a seven-over-par tally of 291 at Valderrama on Sunday.

Speaking to a teleconference from his home on Sunday while he rests his calf muscle before next week's WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, Westwood was in no doubt this was his finest moment despite not actually being on a golf course.

"To be able to sit down and say there's nobody better right now, I think it has to be the highlight," the 37-year-old said.

"When you're growing up and people say 'What do you want to achieve?', you say 'I want to be the best in the world'.

"It's a planet isn't it? I'm the best on the planet."

Westwood's prolific run has coincided with Woods's personal problems and his dip in form.

"I think you have to get it right in your own mind, that's the main thing," Westwood said.

"But I wouldn't write Tiger off."

Westwood, Woods and Poulter will all be in action at next week's WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, a trip which begins on Monday for the new world number one.

The Englishman will have to keep a close eye on Woods and was expecting the American to come right back at him in China.

"That's the kind of relationship we have. I give him a little bit of stick and he gives it back," he said.

"We've always got on very well and have great mutual respect for each other."