Lee Westwood up to world No 3 for first time in his career

Westwood has moved ahead of American Steve Stricker on the rankings and now has only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson ahead of him.

The 37-year-old from Worksop climbed to fourth back in 2001, but then suffered a nightmare slump and fell outside the top 250.

After signalling a return to form with two wins in 2003, he had to wait another four years for his next success, but last season regained the European money list title for the first time.

Westwood has yet to win a major crown, however. He missed play-offs by a single shot at the 2008 US Open and last year's Open, finished third again in the US PGA Championship in August and at The Masters last month led after 36 and 54 holes, but was overtaken on the final day by Mickelson.

Another disappointment came nine days ago when he was out in front once again at The Players Championship in Florida, but slipped to fourth.

Australian Adam Scott's victory in the Texas Open lifts him up from 43rd to 36th, while Swede Peter Hanson is up to 45th thanks to his win in Majorca. If Hanson stays in the top 50 for another week he will earn an exemption for next month's US Open and avoid Monday's qualifier at Walton Heath. Last year he made it through that by holing-in-one in a play-off.

Meanwhile, South African Retief Goosen, out of action since The Masters over a month ago, has withdrawn from the BMW PGA Championship.

Goosen, who broke a toe "running around" with his two children, is not the only major champion to pull out of the European Tour's flagship event.

Jose Maria Olazabal has decided he is still not fit enough to end a seven-month lay-off caused by continuing problems with rheumatism.

The two-time Masters champion appeared in the pro-am before last week's tournament in Majorca, but does not feel well enough to compete for four straight days. His place goes to Essex's Richard McEvoy.

Michael Campbell is a no-show as well. Winner of the US Open five years ago, the New Zealander has been having a torrid time and last made a halfway cut last October.

After rounds of 83 and 81 at The Masters last month Campbell talked of taking an extended break from the game. "Mentally I'm not there and maybe I should get away for a month or six months or who knows – I need to get myself sorted out," he said.

Goosen's fellow countryman Richard Sterne will not play at Wentworth either – he has not played for over two months – while Indian Jeev Milkha Singh and American Shaun Micheel, the US PGA champion in 2003, are not making the trip after playing in Texas last week.

Of Europe's biggest names, all except Sergio Garcia are in this week's field, while invitations have been handed to 17-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero – it will be his second start as a professional – English pair Oliver Fisher and Simon Khan, Scot Stephen Gallacher, South African Keith Horne and Spain's Alejandro Canizares, who lost a play-off in Majorca.

Craig Lee lines up at Wentworth aiming to make the most of a potentially career-altering run of major European Tour events.

The 33-year-old from Stirling earned his place in the European circuit's flagship contest by topping last year's Tartan Tour order of merit and also has the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond and the Johnnie Walker championship at Gleneagles pencilled into his summer schedule.

With those three events boasting a combined purse of over 8 million, Lee, who still harbours ambitions of returning to the main tour, is well aware of the effects a good result could have.

"These events can be career changing and it's a massive bonus to be involved in them," said Lee, who played on the European Tour in 2008. "When you have a European Tour card, it's hard enough trying to keep hold of it from 20 events over a season. To try and earn one from just three events is even more difficult but fairytales can happen in golf. With the money involved in these tournaments, it could just take one really good week."