The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Kitchen could prove bargain for Westwood
Lee Westwood’s victory in the Nedbank Golf Challenge could cost him a new kitchen, but that will still prove a bargain after his amicable split from long-time caddie Billy Foster.
Westwood and Foster’s 10-year working relationship came to an end after the Turkish Airlines Open, with Westwood’s partner Helen Storey on the bag for the former world number one’s triumph in Sun City on Sunday.
The 24th European Tour title of his career was worth just over 1 million euros (£870,500) to Westwood, around 10% of which would usually have been paid as a win bonus to his caddie.
“He’s a Yorkshireman so it could be a while before he forgives me,” Westwood joked ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. “Billy is one of the best caddies out here, so he’ll pick up a new bag.
“He’s working for Matt (Fitzpatrick) this week and obviously Matt’s done well around here. Billy will improve him, there’s no doubt about that.
“I’ve got a good relationship with Billy. Obviously we’re very good friends and I saw him earlier and we had a hug. But our working relationship had got to a point where neither of us were gaining anything from it and we weren’t doing each other any good.
“I don’t require that much from a caddie any more and Billy has obviously been out here for years and is very knowledgeable and wants to use that to help somebody, and I could see he wasn’t happy doing that. So it just was one of those things that had to come to an end.”
Westwood will have Glen Murray on the bag in Dubai while Storey is back in the UK dealing with the couple’s new house, but the 45-yearold added: “I haven’t made any plans. Helen wants to do it again in Abu Dhabi (in January).
“I obviously don’t pay her a percentage, but after we lost in a play-off in Denmark she wanted a new steamer. And because she saw it’s a bigger cheque at the Nedbank, she wants a new kitchen.
“Might actually save me a few quid, getting a new kitchen instead of the 10% I would have been paying. I don’t know how big the kitchen’s going to be, though.”