THERE can be few more heart-warming sights than that of a sportsman down on his uppers suddenly roaring back to the top of his profession.

Such a revival has been undertaken by Lee Westwood. After more than two years of almost abject playing misfortune, Worksop-born Westwood is suddenly back in the forefront of world golf.

The 30-year-old ace of clubs this week celebrated lifting the Dunhill Links Championship, that curio of a competition, whose eccentric format swings its competitors across no less than three of Scotland's greatest links courses - Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and St Andrews.

The Scots' twist obviously suited Westwood. He posted a stunning 21-under total to win the lucrative event by one shot from South African master Ernie Els.

The triumph by the genial Englishman followed on from his conquest earlier in the month when he won the BMW International Open in Munich, a success that finally ended almost three fallow years.

In that arid spell Westwood not so much fell down the world rankings as plummeted with the speed of an Alpine avalanche. From the year 2000 when he topped the Volvo European Order of Merit with a record-breaking winning cash amount of more than £1,850,000, Westwood stumbled and tumbled into freefall.

True, he had deliberately taken time out of the game at the start of 2001 after the birth of his son Samuel, but no-one could have envisaged how Westwood would toil on his eventual return. This was, after all, a player for whom one of the game's Grand Slam majors was merely waiting to be seized.

But rather than be welcomed into the pantheon, Westwood wobbled on a skid-pan of erratic form and shattered confidence. He even talked of quitting the game he had graced with panache and power ahead of the dawning of the new Millennium and admitted that he had doubts about ever winning again as recently as two months ago.

But the autumn of 2003 has signalled a second spring for Westwood. First Munich, then the Dunhill. Now he can look to fluttering flags ahead with renewed confidence.

And Westwood's stirring renaissance is not solely an example of personal triumph over adversity, of fortitude getting the better of ill-fortune. It is a significant boost to the English game too.

With the trophy-winning heydays of Nick Faldo likely to diminish - Father Time withers even Faldo's relentless quest - and a pack of young lions still in the not-quite-the-finished-article stage of development, Westwood can be the man to carry the English flag in the world game.

Wales have Ian Woosnam and Philip Price, Ireland boast Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington, Scotland still pin their flag to the colours of Colin Montgomerie.

But England need a vibrant and vigorous Westwood. He has the skill, the experience, and he has been hardened in the most sulphurous of battle cauldrons. Let us not forget that even while he was deep in the doldrums, the Nottingham Forest supporter eked out three of five available points during Europe's recapture of the Ryder Cup over the Americans at The Belfry last time out.

Fittingly in the origins of the game Westwood has rediscovered his winning talent. The hope is that Westwood will continue his upswing in form.

THE problem with gardening leave is that it can help to generate the growth of discontent.

And that is what York City are reaping from the ex-management axis of Terry Dolan and Adie Shaw, who have each voiced their disenchantment with the finer financial details by which the Supporters' Trust dispensed with their services during the summer.

Since then the weeds of mistrust have flourished and one suspects it will take more than a Ground Force team to tackle the thorny issue and ultimately put it to bed.

Updated: 09:38 Tuesday, September 30, 2003