ROBERT Karlsson became the first Swede to win the European Order of Merit, leaving Lee Westwood to reflect on a season of near-misses.

Westwood is back in the world’s top 10 for the first time in five and a half years, but once again there was disappointment for him on the final day of a tournament.

Lying second in the Volvo Masters at Valderrama with a round to go, and needing to win to deny Karlsson the number one spot, he did not even come close in the end.

Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen, never headed from the moment he started the rain-hit event with a sparkling 65, won the first prize of more than £560,000 by two strokes from Londoner Anthony Wall and German Martin Kaymer.

Westwood’s joint fourth place with Sergio Garcia, four shots back, and Padraig Harrington’s 13th place meant that Karlsson was certain to top the money list whatever he did.

The 39-year-old would like to have finished his campaign in the style of Justin Rose last year - Rose won the final counting event - but instead was down in 32nd spot.

“It would have been fantastic to cap it off with a good week, but I’m not going to be ashamed about this week,” said Karlsson.

Fantastic

“In the last three and a half years I have taken myself to a new level and this is fantastic.

“But this has been the hardest week I’ve ever experienced in golf. It’s one of those situations where you have it in your own hands, but not really, and your focus wanders quite a bit.”

There will be no mad celebrations, however. Next season starts this week in Shanghai, and he was off immediately via Paris and looking forward to catching up on some sleep.

Westwood, who most notably this season was one shot away from a play-off in the US Open, said: “It’s been a year of nearlys and it was nearly again.

“I didn’t feel I was hitting it great all week. I wasn’t straight enough, but I’ve played well all year and I’m pleased about being back in the top 10.”

Irishman Padraig Harrington, Order of Merit champion two years ago, could never recover from an opening 76. But he still has no complaints about his 2008.

“I know what this season is going to be remembered for in a week’s time, a month’s time and a year’s time,” said the Open and US PGA champion.

“I was not quite prepared going into this and I could see that. I need to prepare properly every week to perform at my best, but in the context of the season it’s not that disappointing.”

Not when you have become the first European to make a successful defence of The Open for over 100 years and the first since 1930 to land the final major of the season.

Leading final positions in the European Tour Order of Merit:

1 Robert Karlsson (Swe) £2,171,087
2 Padraig Harrington (Ire) £1,953,689
3 Lee Westwood (Eng) £1,926,306
4 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) £1,641,849
5 Graeme McDowell (N Ire) £1,477,195
6 Ross Fisher (Eng) £1,459,068
7 Henrik Stenson (Swe) £1,428,947
8 Martin Kaymer (Ger) £1,425,677
9 Sergio Garcia (Spa) £1,264,731
10 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) £1,144,815
11 Oliver Wilson (Eng) £1,009,538
12 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) £967,831
13 Darren Clarke (N Ire) £914,465
14 Soren Hansen (Den) £892,903
15 Retief Goosen (Rsa) £835,254
16 Peter Hanson (Swe) £788,608
17 James Kingston (Rsa) £773,491
18 Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) £763,372
19 Ian Poulter (Eng) £752,209
20 Richard Finch (Eng) £744,766 Tweet