Lee Westwood returns to compete in The Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach this week for the first time in two years. And he does so as a different and better golfer than when he finished 38th in 2006 after a last round of 77.

As he prepares to compete against many of the best players in the world - though not Tiger Woods, who is recovering from surgery to his left knee - Westwood, 35 two weeks ago, can congratulate himself on a heartening return to form, although he would rather not be sniffling and coughing as he was yesterday, the lingering effects of a cold that began last week.

He has climbed to No 20 in the world rankings after being out of the top 50 at this time last year. He has had only one finish worse than 34th in 11 events worldwide since November, the start of the European Tour season, and was joint-eleventh in the Masters. He is top of both points qualifying tables for Europe in the Ryder Cup and is a certainty to compete against the United States in September, his sixth Ryder Cup in a row.

Spend any time watching Westwood now and two things are obvious. He has slimmed down and looks more athletic thanks to the results of a regime overseen by Steve McGregor, a physical conditioning expert who used to work at Leeds United and Aston Villa football clubs. Gone is the slightly tubby figure who often seemed out of breath and sweating.

Now he can bench-press his body weight of 96kg (15st 1lb) and, interestingly, as Westwood has become a convert to the benefits of the gym, so some of his peers have stepped up their physical work. Adam Scott, Vijay Singh and Justin Rose put in twice-daily sessions in the weeks leading up to the start of the season.

The second change is that, while his golf is more consistent and he hits the ball farther, his short game has become more sound thanks to help from Mark Roe, the former European Tour player. Westwood has had a chipping and putting green installed in the garden of his home in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and it is not insignificant that his second victory in 2007 came late in the season, after starting work with Roe in July.

It is surprising how much success Westwood achieved - 29 tournament victories worldwide and winner of the Order of Merit in 2000 - without having a top-class short game. For all his strength of mind, his good driving and iron play, he was moderate by the highest standards when faced with deft shots from the edge of a green, a chip over a bunker, a recovery shot from lush grass or a chip from a bare lie to a green sloping away from him.

Roe has had three sessions with Westwood and another is scheduled for the end of this month. The results were obvious at the Masters less than three weeks ago. “The importance of the improvement in my short game is that it has spread confidence throughout the rest of my play,” Westwood said. “Roey has got me trying to take my club away with less wrist action. I take the club more outside and up now than I used to. The club is in a more neutral position.

“I have been playing very consistently. My bad shots don't seem to be so bad. In fact, I haven't been hitting as many. I was pleased by my results at Augusta, though I had a poor second round [a 73]. I used to feel intimidated by the course. I felt it was too long for me. Now it is scoreable for me. I made silly mistakes in my 73 on the Sunday, so I feel it could have been a better score. I had a sand-wedge in my hand for my second shot on the 7th and hit it into a bunker. I was nearly pin-high in two on the 8th and took a six. Those sort of things.”

Westwood has never competed in The Players at this time of year. On his most recent appearance, the tournament was held in March and he expects to find a course that is firmer, faster and more nerve-racking, as if it was not before. Although there is likely to be less wind, it will be hotter.

“It is a great course,” Westwood said. “There is no let-up. It will play shorter. I might use my driver on only three holes. It is a strategy course, a position course, one you can plot your way around. You have to be mentally strong. It is going to be a test of me and my short game.”

- The Players Championship is exclusively live on Setanta Golf and Setanta Sports 1 from Thursday to Sunday.