Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
It’s been a hell of a Ryde & Lee is far from finished
LEE WESTWOOD will go down as one of the best European golfers of all time.
The Englishman, who turned 44 in April, tees it up at his 500th European Tour event at this week’s Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
It has been a glittering career to date and not just in terms of longevity.
He has won 42 titles across five continents, including 23 on the European Tour.
He is a 10-time European Ryder Cup star and second only to Nick Faldo on the list of England’s most prolific champions.
Add in the fact he won Europe’s Order of Merit in 2000 and held the World No1 title for 22 weeks after dethroning Tiger Woods in October 2010 and it has been quite a journey.
I first met Lee in the semi-finals of the European Boys championship in Iceland in 1990, when he beat me on the 17th.
It was clear back then he was destined for big things, even if Peter Mcevoy, a leading British amateur golfer, advised him against the pro game. Mcevoy told him he would be wasting his time, but thankfully Westwood had other ideas. Within three years getting the better of me in Reykjavik, he was playing his first pro event and secured his first win at the Scandinavian Masters in 1996. I spoke to him last week as he launched his Ryder Cup points bid with a very solid T9 at the Czech Masters.
He has been on seven winning European teams since making his Ryder Cup debut in 1997, amassing 23 points.
Would he love to make an 11th Ryder Cup appearance in Paris next year? You bet.
He still has a burning desire to add to his legacy after being part of the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ and going unbeaten in 2004 and 2006.
In years to come, when golf fans pore over the rich history of the Ryder Cup, Westwood’s name will be writ large.
The only honour missing from Lee’s CV is a major title, although he has gone close with three runner-up finishes – twice at the Masters (2010 and 2016) and once at The Open (2010).
Major successes have proved elusive, although he should take heart from Sergio Garcia ending his long wait at this year’s Masters.
Despite his major frustrations, Westwood will not go down as one of the sport’s nearly men.
He has sustained almost 22 years of success as a pro and deserves all the plaudits that come his way in Switzerland his weekend.
He’ll be hoping for a golden autumn to his career, but whatever happens he is a guaranteed future hall of famer and Ryder Cup captain.
That in itself tells you all you need to know about a very special golfer.