The shorts won over long trousers with three of the players wearing shorts on the first day of the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final winning their matches.

American Matt Kuchar, and his legs looked tanned from a week’s holiday in the Greek Isles, wore shorts to defeat World No. 1 Rory McIlroy.

South African Charl Schwartzel then wore shorts to defeat the black trousered Tiger Woods with a part at the last hole before England’s Lee Westwood, wearing a red shirt and white shorts, accounted for reigning U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson.

A sight you won’t see on the PGA Tour – Matt Kuchar wearing shorts. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

The only player wearing shorts not to have won was American Hunter Mahan who lost out to England’s Justin Rose.

Lee Westwood was proud to show off his ‘footballing’ legs in a rare first for the world’s leading golfers contesting this Turkish Airlines World Golf Final.

Four of the eight players contesting the $5.2m event, including Westwood, South African Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan and Matt Kuchar, chose to wear shorts in the medal match-play format and in temperatures nudging close to 30 degree Celsius.

Mahan was the only player in round wearing shorts to lose in being defeated by England’s Justin Rose.

Westwood said he particularly chose a red shirt and white shorts that are not only the colours of Turkish Airlines but his beloved Nottingham Forest.

“Them are footballers legs,” said Westwood holding up one of his legs.

“I could still play for Forest with these legs.

“I’ve brought some more white shorts and also a few pairs of cream coloured shorts, so I’m happy to be wearing shorts all four days.

“And with rain forecast for Wednesday I don’t want to get the bottoms of my trousers dirty so I will stick to shorts (laughing).”

Kuchar had been wearing shorts all last week in Greece and he was more than happy to continue wearing them.

“I enjoyed getting the shorts on and it’s an absolute treat as I’ve been in shorts also for the past week in Greece,” said Kuchar.

“But then what the PGA Tour do with pants policy is right and proper policy but being able to come to an event like this that is a little more relaxed is just great to be able to throw shorts on.”

And Rose rightly pointed out that almost all males coming to this part of Turkey wear shorts and it only seemed appropriate for the players to be given that option.