Ruthless Rose sacks caddy in hunt for glory at Players' Championship

The contrast this year has been stark. Never outside the top 12 in all four majors last season, the ambitious 27-year-old has yet to register a top 12 finish in eight starts this time, and fell away badly at the Masters after being joint leader following the first round.

Rose said: "We're both big boys and came to a mature decision. It was clear we were not gelling, and agreed to split before things got out of hand."

The much-coveted post has been handed to another Englishman, Mark Fulcher, who caddied on the American ladies tour for 20 years. "I think the key is not to wrap the job up in too much mystique and acknowledge that Justin would do well out here if he was pulling a trolley," he said. "Chemistry happens by listening to your player and reacting accordingly."

The front cover of this month's Golf World magazine has a photograph of Westwood and his coach Mark Roe, complete with the headline: "How I rebuilt my short game".

Perhaps it needs updating, to include a photograph of Westwood's seven-year-old son Sam. In what might be the first recorded instance in golf of 'like son, like father," Westwood was watching the way that Sam was holing putt after putt in the back garden using the left hand below right putting method favoured by Padraig Harrington.

Desperate to try anything after an awful time on the greens at Augusta, Westwood has resolved to use this method for the first time.

He said: "It was amazing watching Sam and the fearless way he putted. It might sound strange learning something from a kid, but it feels comfortable in practice so I am going to give it a whirl."

You don't rise out of the ranks of the journeymen to 6th in the world by resting on your laurels, and it was inevitable that something would have to give following Rose's start to the year, which has fallen a long way below expectation.

On the practice ground at the Sawgrass course, Ponte Vedra Beach yesterday he was his usual courteous self. But, as Doran discovered, Rose is not afraid to play the role of assassin when necessary.

After missing the halfway cut last week, Rose and coach Nick Bradley retired to the former's home in Orlando to talk things through.

"I didn't play well, and I think a lot of that was down to practising too hard, because I am a lot fitter than last year," Rose said. "So we're just trying to get back to the feelings and methods that were successful last season."

Westwood was slightly dismissive about this event, saying he would rather win one of the three world golf championships because 'they have better fields."

Considering 101 of the 144 players competing here are proven winners on the U.S Tour, as opposed to the limited fields featured in world events, it is a hard argument to sustain. The players who haven't won are not exactly dummies either.

Indeed, four of them are part of the six-strong English contingent - Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Brian Davis, and Rose himself.

When you add the fact that the last of Luke Donald's two U.S Tour wins was in 2006, and Westwood's sole success a decade ago, it does highlight that the so-called golden generation have still to prove themselves at the highest level.

Talk to most of them, and they will tell you the main focus is the four majors. But a win of any kind would be welcome. Since Donald's triumph, the six Englishmen have played a combined total of 245 events in America, without a single success.

One week can change everything, of course. With a great field, wonderful golf course, the biggest purse of the year - the winner will receive £850,000 - and a sell-out crowd of 40,000 each day, this would be the ideal place to start.

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