Fresh from threatening a 25th European Tour win for three quarters of last week in Abu Dhabi, the former world No.1 has bolted out of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic starting blocks. A seven birdie, two bogey 67 left the 45-year-old Englishman two shots shy of the lead after the Majlis layout at Emirates Golf Club proved a very receptive host on Thursday.

The European Tour’s all-time career money leader (€36.3 million and counting) has set his sights on an 11th Ryder Cup appearance and while the 43rd matches at Whistling Straits are still 20 months away, he’s sending up some impressive early smoke signals to new European captain Padraig Harrington.

You can partly credit the Great White Shark for the rejuvenation, as Westwood revealed to Golf Digest’s John Huggan.

“I’m quite a dangerous golfer at the moment because I don’t care anymore. I’m playing golf like I don’t care,” Westwood said.

“Greg Norman told me to do that years ago. He said, ‘Try your balls off and don’t give a bleep about
the outcome or the result.’ So that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m playing like I did when I was a kid really. That doesn’t mean I’m not trying. But I don’t care. There’s
a difference.”

With partner Helen on his bag the past fortnight and a new psychologist also pushing the right buttons, Westwood is indeed in dangerous form. His emotional victory at the Nedbank Challenge the week before last year’s Race to Dubai decider at Jumeirah Golf Estates was his 43rd win worldwide and he scaled as high as fourth on the leaderboard in Abu Dhabi last week before settling for a share of 16th.

As pleased and as proud as he was to serve as one of Thomas Bjorn’s vice-captain’s at last September’s Ryder Cup, it’s no coincidence either that a new Lee Westwood has emerged post that non-playing role. It’s amazing what a little perspective on life can do.

“When you break it all down and look at the facts – where we’re playing, what we’re playing for, golf courses we’re playing on, weather we’re playing in – there’s no reason really not to be happy,” he said.

“Obviously I’ve got Helen, my girlfriend, on the golf bag, and she makes a big difference to my attitude out there. She doesn’t know that much about golf…but she knows a lot about me and what to say and to keep it lighthearted and things like that, and it’s really entertaining out there.”

Westwood will have his son Sam caddying at several events later in the season and admits his 17-year-old has been part of his happy transformation as well.

“Sam has been dragging me out to play at times when I might not have gone,“ he told Huggan. “Also helping is giving him a lesson. He has watched me swinging the club and he has all the same faults I do. So it’s like giving myself a lesson. I’m talking through what I ought to be doing and it is sticking in my head. What I’m working on right now is what I told Sam to work on three weeks ago.”

Westwood has now started all but six of the Desert Classic’s 30 editions and well enough in his 24th first round to begin believing he might finally snare the fabled Dallah trophy after nine previous top-10s, including bridesmaid finishes to David Howell (1999 at Dubai Creek), Miguel Ángel Jiménez (2010) and Rafa Cabrera Bello (2012).

“I’ll go on the range and keep working on what I’m working on, and I feel like it’s gradually coming. My distance control is pretty good, I’m pleased with the way I’ve been hitting it. I’m rolling the ball well on the green, which makes a difference.”

So too does that new carefree attitude it seems.