Hello funsters a very merry Monday to you. It isn't, you suspect a very happy day in the Lee Westwood camp. England's top golfer threw away a wonderful chance to pick up the Players Championship in Sawgrass, which is referred to as the 5th unofficial major. It's becoming something of a habit for the lovely Lee, to contend in the early, middle and latter stages, but not quite see it through to the finish. A month ago it was Phil Mickelson who denied him at the Masters. Before that he had to settle for 3rd at the US PGA Championship when the main prize beckoned and indeed he also missed a trick at the Open, when he could have made it into the play-off, but for some late profligacy which ultimately cost him dear.

Is it, I wonder, another case of an extremely talented and hugely likeable English sporting talent, which just lacks the ruthless, killer touch of a champion? As I've mentioned before, I believe Tim Henman, was the same. Immensely talented and yet destined never to win the ultimate prize. Is it something in the English psyche? Are Englishmen and women sometimes just too nice to win? Don't even start me on penalty shoot-outs which are a regular reminder of a technical deficiency, but perhaps also a sign of something else. Look at the conveyor belt of hungry, ambitious Russian and Eastern European talent in tennis. These players want it and they want it badly and they don't care who have they have to beat or barge out of the way to get it. While the English are banging on about fair play and queueing on holiday, the Germans have already put their towel on the sunlounger and everyone else has walked in front of them to get their cappuccino.

Many people believe that a true champion has to have a slightly nasty side. Andy Murray, who is of course Scottish and therefore isn't inhibited by whatever it is that afflicts the English in a sporting sense, doesn't suffer fools gladly. He isn't in the sport to make friends and influence people. He doesn't care who he upsets, he just wants to win. So does Roger Federer. Tiger Woods is the same and even Phil Mickelson has learnt it after years of coming second. England's last truly great golfer was Nick Faldo, who everyone knows wouldn't win many popularity contests. They all have and had that certain X-Factor, which maybe the lovely Lee Westwood doesn't. Time will tell and I do hope he does win a major. I really do.

Anyway it is a fascinating debate to launch this Monday morn, and any thoughts gratefully received. But just to put it all into perspective. While Lee Westwood was no doubt reflecting on what might have been, as he stares at his cheque for around £250,000 for finishing joint fourth, yours truly was preparing for another stint on the news. And yes although that makes me sound quite brainy and indeed stateswoman-like, there I was trying to catch up on the latest on prospective coalition deals, by cleaning up cat sick at dawn, because my maverick cat likes to eat grass and then come into the house and throw it up. Maybe he is a philosophical vegetarian at heart...now there's a thought. But there you have it. Lee Westwood's world, my world. Toodle pip.