LEE WESTWOOD'S victory in the Nedbank Golf Challenge could cost him a new kitchen, but that will still prove a bargain after his amicable split from long-time Keighley caddy Billy Foster.

Westwood and Foster's 10-year working relationship came to an end after the Turkish Airlines Open earlier this month, with Westwood's partner Helen Storey on the bag for the former world number one's triumph in Sun City on Sunday.

The 24th European Tour title of his career was worth just over 1million euros (£870,500) to Westwood, around 10 per cent of which would usually have been paid as a win-bonus to his caddy.

"He's a Yorkshireman so it could be a while before he forgives me," Westwood joked ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. "Billy is one of the best caddies out here, so he'll pick up a new bag.

"He's working for Matt (Fitzpatrick) this week and obviously Matt's done well around here and he'll have a chance. Billy will improve him, there's no doubt about that.

"I've got a good relationship with Billy. Obviously we're very good friends and I saw him earlier and we had a hug. But our working relationship had got to a point where neither of us were gaining anything from it and we weren't doing each other any good.

"I sat him down and said, 'This is no good, I'm playing better when you're not there than when you are there, so something's obviously not working'.

"I don't require that much from a caddy any more and Billy has obviously been out here for years and is very knowledgeable and wants to use all that knowledge to help somebody, and I could see he wasn't happy doing that.

"So it just was one of those things that had to come to an end. I tried to change and unfortunately Billy didn't feel comfortable changing with me. It was an amicable split."

Eldwick-based Foster, who is a member at Bingley St Ives, was carrying for Westwood when he won the Race to Dubai - formerly known as the European Tour Order of Merit - back in 2009.

The partnership also saw Westwood topple Tiger Woods to become world number one the following year but, despite coming close on numerous occasions, he has never added a major to his title collection.

Westwood will have Glen Murray on the bag in Dubai while Storey is back in the UK dealing with the couple's new house, but the 45-year-old added: "I haven't made any plans. Helen wants to do it again in Abu Dhabi (in January). She did it a couple years ago and we finished eighth.

"I obviously don't pay her a percentage, but after we lost in a play-off in Denmark she wanted a new steamer. And because she saw it's a bigger cheque at the Nedbank, she wants a new kitchen.

"We just moved house, so I might have to take her up on that. Might actually save me a few quid, getting a new kitchen instead of the 10 per cent I would have been paying. I don't know how big the kitchen's going to be, though."