Avid followers will have noticed a change in my team of late.  I've a new caddie in Phil Morbey, universally known throughout the world of golf as Wobbly. Wobbly gets his nickname because of his gait but if people take the Mickey out of the way he walks they certainly don't in relation to the way he does his job.  He is definitely one of the world's best, having made his name at the US Masters alongside Ian Woosnam.

I'm hoping he does the same for me, but it won't be this year because I haven't been playing well enough to warrant an invitation to the first major championship of this season. It won't be much fun watching all my peers patrolling the rolling fairways of Augusta National, but I have nobody else to blame but myself and that's big enough incentive to make sure it doesn't happen next time.

My recent play has been pretty good from tee to green, but the putter seems to want to put the ball anywhere but in the hole.  It's an area of my game which needs drastic improvement. Last week in Portugal I had a total of 126 putts which was exactly 17 more than the eventual winner, Gregory Bourdy.  I can't expect to climb the world rankings with stats like that.

It was good to see David Howell back at the top end of the leaderboard after a year joining me in descending the rankings.  He'll be disappointed in losing out in a play-off, but happy that he's back in contention again.

Much has been said and written about American Paul Azinger's recent criticism of Nick Faldo.  Zinger's a fiery character and Nick's his own man and it's obvious the two don't see eye to eye, but I want to say just one thing on the issue.   I think Nick Faldo will make a fantastic captain.