Westwood aiming to repel Kaymer's challenge for top ranking

Kaymer started his season with a stunning eight-shot win in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago.

The 26-year-old could take the No 1 spot from Lee Westwood with a top-two finish at the

Qatar Masters, but says: "My goal is to finish in the top 10. I've never done that here."

On his first two visits Kaymer missed the halfway cut, and in the last two years he has come 32nd and 31st. Only once in 12 rounds has he broken 70.

Compare that to Abu Dhabi where he has finished first, first, second and first the last four years and is a cumulative 80 under par.

Westwood has far happier memories of the Doha course. The Englishman came third last year, behind Robert Karlsson and Alvaro Quiros, and shot a closing 65 for fifth place in 2008.

And the 37-year-old from Worksop is not reading anything into the fact that he finished a daunting 26 strokes behind Kaymer in Abu Dhabi.

"I missed the cut there last year and then was third and second in my next two tournaments," said Westwood.

"I think I've shaken off a bit of rust now. This is a demanding test and while I wouldn't say any of the courses out here are easy, I think this is the toughest of the lot.

"But if you play well it gives you the chance to shoot a low score."

European golf has waited 18 years to have the top two players in the world, but Kaymer insists that becoming No 1 is 'not that important' to him right now.

"It would be nice to say nobody is better than you in the world whatever you do, but I am 26 and, hopefully, I have a few more years to achieve that," he said.

"The motivation is to beat everybody. I know I can't win every week, but I think I can put myself many times into contention."

Steve Stricker, pushed down to seventh in the world by Paul

Casey's success in Abu Dhabi last week, is making his first Middle East trip and – like Casey – could get back to third in the rankings by lifting the title.

Tiger Woods competes in Dubai next week, by which time he might be as low as sixth in the world.

Former Open champion John Daly, upset after sponsors of the PGA Tour event in Phoenix

declined to offer him an invite, also competes in Qatar, alongside the Yorkshire quartet of Simon Dyson, Richard Finch, Danny Willett and John Parry.