Westwood learning to love St Andrews

By Paul Trow - Golf Today News Editor

Lee Westwood knows he must learn to like St Andrews or forget winning the 129th Open at the Home of Golf. The Englishman's dislike of the hallowed Old Course is well-known, culminating in his caustic comments during last year's Alfred Dunhill Cup. "I wouldn't say it was in my top 200 in Fife," Westwood said when asked how he rated golf's oldest links.

When asked again for his opinion after hitting his first practice shots today, the 27-year-old from Worksop replied through gritted teeth:

"Oh, I've loved it!" "I've never played particularly well round here so that's probably why I've not enjoyed it so much.

"I can understand what the former champions round here say, Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson, people like that, where they say they have come here and the first time they have not particularly liked it, but they have grown to like it. "I can see that happening to me. I am going to learn to like it this week."

Westwood, currently ranked fifth in the world, is seen as the top British hope for the Open along with Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, but in six attempts he has yet to place better than a tie for 10th. And apart from briefly leading the Masters last year with nine holes to play, Westwood has under-achieved in major championships. But a tie for fifth in the US Open at the Pebble Beach last month indicated a new maturity on Westwood's part and he should also be encouraged by his stunning win over Tiger Woods at the Deutsche Bank Open in May.

Lee Westwood & Darren Clarke pause during a practice round yesterday. Allsport.

That was the world No 1's only appearance in Europe this year ahead of the Open and he was sent home with his tail between his legs after Westwood fired a course-record final round of 64 to relegate Woods, who was the defending champion, into a tie for third. Despite that result, though, he acknowledges that Woods, who won the US Open by 15 shots, is still the man to beat.

"I have full respect for his game and for him as a person because I think he's a nice guy and he handles himself well through all the attention he gets. He'll obviously be a contender this week but I am not thinking too much about him. I'm just thinking about my own game at the moment and I know if I play well and putt well I'm going to have a good chance."

Prior to Hamburg, Westwood had despaired over his poor early season form, but since the US Open he has won on both his European Tour outings - the Compaq Grand Prix at Slaley Hall and the Smurfit European Open at the K Club.

Gone, he says, are the special diets and rigorous gym work which in the past have been recommended to the burly six-footer to keep in shape. In their place he has added a mystery ingredient.

"I know what's making me play well and I'm keeping it to myself. I am going to keep on doing what I have been doing for the last six or seven weeks," said Westwood, who added that he had been helped by a 45-minute session during the US Open with leading golf psychologist Bob Rotella.

"He enlightened me on some things and gave me a few tips on how I might be able to improve my thinking around the course and my attitude going into certain tournaments. "It's not hard to by happy and smiling when you're playing well. It's much harder when things aren't going right."

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