England the new Masters, says Westwood
Lee WestWood was a proud englishman yesterday when he looked through the field for the Masters next week and found he had 10 compatriots for company.
‘It’s amazing, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘You’ve got a limited field of fewer than 100 players and 11 of them have qualified from england. that’s an incredible achievement in my eyes and we should be shouting about it from the rooftops.’
It’s certainly a dramatic change from 1999 and 2002, when Westwood and sir Nick Faldo were the only flagbearers. In 2001, the former was the only englishman in the world’s top 100.
Now, alongside defending champion danny Willett, there will be the largest corps of representatives Augusta has ever seen from one nation outside the United states — and Westwood is relishing his role as the elder statesman. ‘I feel like I am the daddy of them all,’ he said, smiling.
‘I don’t think the country knows what it has with golf and the quality of players it is producing. I think the game got more coverage when only myself and Nick were around.
‘this decade, england has had two world No 1s, two major winners, a gold medallist and at least half a dozen world top-10 players.
‘At the Masters last year we had players who finished first and second in danny and myself. tell me, what other top-class sport is england better at than golf? A few years ago people were worried where the next crop was coming from after myself and Luke (donald), Poults (Ian Poulter) and Paul Casey. Now we have danny, of course, and this exciting group including the likes of tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Chris Wood, Andy sullivan and tommy Fleetwood.
‘I’m 44 next month and I’m thrilled I can still compete with them!’
Westwood is completing his Masters preparations at the shell Houston open and is enthused by the challenge ahead.
‘I haven’t looked forward to two weeks as much as this in years,’ he added.
‘even though I finished second at Augusta last year my game is on a different level now to 12 months ago and I’m playing better than I have in a long time. I’ve been working on the strength in my legs with my fitness coach. I’ve always been at my best when I’ve had a solid base and that’s now returned, which is why I’m hitting it well.’
Westwood has finished in the top 11 in six of the last seven Masters, including three top threes, and scoffed at his current price of 100-1.
‘ that’s good value in my opinion,’ he said. ‘I think I’ve shown I know my way around that course and I always look forward to playing there.
‘I like getting ready at this event as well. they do a good job in replicating the speed of the greens we find at Augusta and I know if I didn’t play here
‘I’d be shocked when I experi- enced the pace in the first round next week.’
there’s a chance england’s Masters representation could grow to 12. the winner this week will get an invitation if he’s not already Georgia- bound, with former world No 1 donald and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston among those hoping to claim it.