Share

Westwood confident for Open

Sandwich - Lee Westwood is confident he could slay the dragon of his Major championship jinx when he launches his British Open challenge at Royal St George's later this week.

The 37-year-old Englishman is among the favourites to lift the famous claret jug this weekend, and can think of no better venue than Royal St George's as he aims to end his long wait for a Major.

"It's named after St. George so you can't get much more English than that; it's being played in England, which only happens every now and again, and it's the biggest championship in the world as far as I'm concerned," Westwood said.

"It would mean everything to win this championship."

Westwood's recent championship form suggests the recently deposed former world No 1 represents a decent bet at Sandwich.

In his last 13 Majors, Westwood has posted no fewer than six top-three finishes, a run that has included a share of third place at the US Open last month following a tie for 11th at the Masters in April.

Westwood, who has fond memories of Royal St George's, where he won as an amateur in 1992, is comfortable with his form heading into the Open.

"My form is right where I'd like it to be. I've been playing well just recently and had a good stretch of results," he said.

"This is a week I look forward to all year round. So I try to gear my game up for this week. I'm happy with all aspects of my game."

A win for Westwood this week would extend a record losing streak for US golfers in Major championships.

Following Rory McIlroy's stunning victory at the US Open in June, American golfers have not won a Major for a record five tournaments.

But Westwood is unconvinced that the US losing streak represents a fundamental shift in golf's balance of power.

"I think it's cyclical," Westwood said. "We went through a period where there weren't many European players winning major championships or from the rest of the world, and a lot of American golfers were winning majors.

"I think it's just one of those things. Obviously when one or two players from a certain area start winning majors, it inspires and brings on everybody else from that area."

"Other than that there's nothing I can put my finger on, other than European and the rest of the world golf is very strong at the moment.

"There's a lot of world class players, and that's reflected in the World Rankings."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2247 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE