Westwood making cuts, but not contending in major tournaments
It’s not quite a badge of honour, though it beats the alternative. Lee Westwood was among 13 players who made the cut in all four majors this year, and he has the longest active streak of cuts made among those who have played them all.
Westwood last missed the cut in 2014 at the British Open, making it 13 in a row that he has played the weekend. That’s the good news. “I’m playing steady, but not well enough,” Westwood said.
His best finish was a tie for 18th in the Masters. Westwood tied for 55th in the U.S. Open, tied for 27th in the British Open and tied for 67th at the PGA Championship. He has only one top 10 in the majors since he last missed the cut, a runner-up at the Masters to Danny Willett last year.
“You don’t want to be missing cuts. You’d rather be making cuts,” Westwood said. “But obviously, I want to contend. Nobody wants to be out early on Sunday.”
Jordan Spieth joins Westwood as the only players to make the cut in all four majors over the last three years.
The others to make the cut in every major this year were Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey, Kevin Kisner, Russell Henley, Steve Stricker, Charley Hoffman, Marc Leishman and J.B. Holmes.
Stricker now has made 26 straight cuts in the majors over the last eight years, though he has either not played (British Open) or not been eligible (Masters, U.S. Open) for six majors dating to his last missed cut at Hazeltine in the 2009 PGA Championship.
Russell Knox was on the wrong list this year. He was among five players who missed the cut in all four majors. The others were Jhonattan Vegas, Tyrrell Hatton, Yuta Ikeda and Jeunghun Wang. PAYNE STEWART AWARD: Stewart Cink has won an award that is gaining massive momentum as one of the biggest honours on the PGA Tour. He will accept the Payne Stewart Award during the Tour Championship next month.
The award began as a tribute to Stewart, the three-time major champion who died in a plane crash on his way to the Tour Championship in 1999. It recognizes the values of character, charity and sportsmanship, and recent winners have said the ceremony was one of the best nights of their careers.
“To receive the Payne Stewart Award is one of the greatest honours of my career,” Cink said.
Cink has six victories in 21 years on the PGA Tour, including the British Open in 2009 in a playoff over Tom Watson at Turnberry. That was Cink at his best, not only his performance, but the graciousness in winning over such a popular and sentimental figure as the 59-year-old Watson.
Cink has two sons in college and for the last two years has been devoting himself to his wife, Lisa, during her battle with breast cancer.
The Payne Stewart Award ceremony will be Sept. 19 and televised live on Golf Channel.