The Open 2016: Lee Westwood says Major heartbreak puts him in good stead for Royal Troon
Englishman admits he has learned to roll with the punches championships can throw - despite taking the most blows
LEE WESTWOOD says he has learned to roll with the punches Major championships throw at you, despite taking more blows than anyone else.
He reckons that is why he is still standing when many other players would probably have been on their knees by now.
Westwood’s NINE top threes without a Major victory are three more than any other golfer has managed.
The latest cruel twist came when he was in contention at last month’s US Open, but slumped to a final-round 80.
For the second Major in a row he had to watch as his playing partner grabbed the glory.
It was Dustin Johnson at Oakmont, while Danny Willett served it up to Westy at The Masters.
But Westwood, 43, insists he will keep thrusting his jaw out, refusing to take a backward step in pursuit of that elusive first Major. He said: “I have been through so many ups and downs in these events now that nothing’s ever going to faze me — especially not one bad round like that last day at Oakmont.
“That can happen to anyone. It never lives with me too long. I won’t let it. You can’t change it, so move on and try again.
“I’ve said it before, but hiding in a darkened room and cursing my luck is never going to be my style.
“Of course I analyse what went wrong, in the hope I can avoid the same pitfalls next time.
“And at Oakmont, it was a case of not showing the patience you need in a US Open, which was probably understandable with Dustin playing so well.
Lee's 9 top 3s
LEE WESTWOOD failed to birdie the par five final hole at Torrey Pines to miss out on a play-off by one shot. Tiger Woods made birdie and went on to beat Rocco Mediate in a sudden-death play-off.
2009 OPEN, TIED 3RD
WESTY led heading into the back nine at Turnberry but bogeyed the final hole, which cost him a play-off spot. This time Stewart Cink beat a tired-looking Tom Watson.
2009 USPGA, TIED 3RD
HE was never far off the pace at Hazeltine but it was YE Yang who handed Woods a first Major defeat.
2010 MASTERS, 2ND
THE Worksop wizard did nothing wrong at Augusta and his 13-under-par total would have been enough most years. But Phil Mickelson shot 67-67 to win by three shots.
2010 OPEN, 2ND
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN topped the leaderboard wire-to-wire and romped to a seven-shot victory at St Andrews.
2011 US OPEN, TIED 3RD
THIS time it was Rory McIlroy who led the rest a merry dance. He sprinted clear of Jason Day by eight shots, with Westy a further two adrift.
2012 MASTERS, TIED 3RD
WESTWOOD shot a brilliant 68 in the final round at Augusta but was still two shots short of forcing his way into the play-off which Bubba Watson won.
2013 OPEN, TIED 3RD
WESTY took a two-shot lead into the final round at Muirfield but he stumbled to a closing 75 as Phil Mickelson stormed to victory with a stunning 66.
2015 MASTERS, TIED 2ND
JORDAN SPIETH’S sensational final-round collapse left the door open but it was Westy’s playing partner Danny Willett who won by three shots.
“I got a couple of unlucky breaks on the second and fourth holes when I hit decent approach shots and they spun back off the greens. Then you see how Dustin is playing, and you start to force it.
“That could also be down to the fact that before The Masters I hadn’t put myself in contention for quite a while.
“You forget that it doesn’t pay to push it.
“But after putting myself in the frame in both Majors this year I’m sure I’ll be a bit more relaxed if I can get in the mix at Troon as well.
“I hadn’t had those feelings for a while, that rush of adrenaline. It was great to get them back, even if it ended in disappointment again.
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“I’m pretty strong mentally, so even after the near-misses I’m ready and willing to go through it all again.
“You’ve got to be prepared to take the knocks if you want to keep pursuing the big prize.”
Westwood is encouraged by the fact great pal Darren Clarke, Ernie Els, and Phil Mickelson all lifted the Claret Jug when 43.
And he knows how to tackle Royal Troon, after finishing like a train to claim fourth place behind Todd Hamilton the last time The Open was held here in 2004. He recalled: “I had a great weekend then. I finished 67-68 and I remember holing a really long putt on the last on the Sunday, from 35ft.
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HENRIK STENSON: Three top-three finishes in the Open already. Sky Bet odds: 28-1
DANNY WILLETT: Masters win was hardly a fluke — he was ranked 12th in the world. Sky Bet odds: 50-1
RAFA CABRERA-BELLO: Final-round 68 at Scottish Open should set him up nicely at Troon. Sky Bet odds: 100-1
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Runaway winner at St Andrews in 2010. Sky Bet odds: 45-1
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Last month’s US Open win will have released the pressure valve. Sky Bet odds: 9-1
“I really like the course. It’s one of those nice traditional courses where the nines go out and then back.
“You generally need to get off to a fast start. The opening holes usually play downwind, and you have to make your score there.
“You can get to three, four, five under going out and then you try to hold on from there.
“You can find yourself under pressure if you don’t play those holes well, and that’s when you have to show a bit of patience.
“A lot more than you would in a normal Tour event. That’s so important in any Major.
“It also helps that I feel like I’m freewheeling along a little bit now. That is partly age, and partly accepting that you’re pretty good at this, so just let it happen.
“I still put hours in on the practice range and the time in the gym, but not like I used to. Quality rather than quantity — that’s the byword.
“And I feel like I’m back to the stage where I turn up fully expecting to play well. A bit like the way I did when I was winning for fun a few years back.
“That’s down to the way I’m swinging a club, and the way I am mentally.
“Even if you are playing poorly, if you are mentally strong you can still get in there. The Majors are certainly more of a mental test than other tournaments.
“You have to be able to shrug off the setbacks.
“If you can show a bit of patience and string a few pars together you can get back into it. I need to show that attitude this week, and hopefully it will pay off.”