I HAD A CHOICE... THE PEA FACTORY, THE SANDWICH FACTORY OR GOLF
And as Westwood has just been named European golfer of the year again it looks like he made the right decision
LEE WESTWOOD has come a long way since being told his career path amounted to a choice between two factory jobs.
The golf production line has proved to be a lot more lucrative since he chose not to heed the advice of his careers advisor.
Westwood started the year by winning in Abu Dhabi and finished by claiming the Race to Dubai title for the third time – 20 years after his first Order of Merit victory.
And the 47- year- old’s successful season has now seen him carry off the 2020 European Tour Golfer of the Year prize.
His rollercoaster career has seen him win 44 tournaments worldwide and twice drop out of the world’s top 100.
But this self- confessed working- class lad from Worksop claimed his love of the game and work ethic have kept him coming back for more.
“There’s been many times where I thought I couldn’t stand this game,” admitted the world No.36.
“I remember thinking about retiring at the age of 26 or 27, I must have thought I was George Best!
“It comes down to just the love of the game and loving playing. I’ve had eight days without hitting balls and I’m itching to go and hit balls and practice already. I don’t feel like a 47-year-old, I feel like a 25-year-old.
“Mentally I’ve been able to stay keen and kept the enthusiasm. It’s alright saying as people get older they lose distance, but if you keep yourself in shape – last week I hit it further than I’ve ever hit it. I love working hard. It’s partly to do with my upbringing with my Mum and Dad, coming from where I’ve come from in Worksop, being a working-class lad.
“I went to see the careers officer at 16 and the options he gave me were the Bachelor’s pea factory or the sandwich factory. I just fancied being a golfer a little bit more, so I worked hard at it.”
Westwood’s latest career renaissance has coincided with having his girlfriend Helen Storey as his regular caddie since 2018. And now the former world No. 1 is planning to play his 11th consecutive Ryder Cup next year with Helen there to help.
“Helen caddying for me is like having a psychologist there,” he explained.
“It’s given me a lot of perspective and that’s taken the pressure off me as well. At the end of the day it’s just a game, it’s as ridiculous as getting a
little white ball into a hole that’s way too small.
“We have a laugh out there about certain things. We’re a good team. She gets me in the right frame of mind to perform at my best.
“We haven’t discussed the Ryder Cup yet. Yeah, she would do it. She gets No.1 baggsy of the job, for a particular week.
“She enjoys the bigger tournaments and comes out with strange things when I get carried away – ‘ it’s just another walk around a big green field, really’, she’ll say.
“It is, isn’t it? We simplify things and that’s the way it is.”
Justin Thomas and his father Mike won the PNC Championship in Florida, with Tiger and 11-year-old Charlie Woods five shots back in seventh place. The 2017 US PGA champion said: “It was more emotional than other victories.”