WESTWOOD JUNIOR ON COURSE FOR MASTER GIFT

EVERY father wants to impress his son with something special for an 18th birthday present, and Lee Westwood is well on his way to hitting the jackpot regarding his boy Sam. For a golf-mad teenager who will reach that landmark during the Masters in April, does it get much better than caddying for dad at the 83rd edition? If it is to happen, Westwood Senior must rise from his current placing of 63rd in the world to inside the top 50 by midMarch. The way he’s playing, it should prove a formality. Indeed, he can take care of it over the next two days if he continues in the same vein at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where he lies just two shots off the lead, held by Ireland’s Shane Lowry. Westwood is unrecognisable from the frustrated soul who fell into the tour’s nether ranks. Working with Steve Peters, the man who wrote bestselling psychology book The Chimp Paradox, has worked wonders. ‘I have a lot of chimps and they’re all very happy,’ grinned Westwood, 45. He pinpoints as key his split from longtime bagman Billy Foster last year. ‘At this point, I only need a caddie who I get along with,’ said the Englishman, who has girlfriend Helen Storey as company this week. ‘I don’t need one who will try to impress on me how the game should be played. I’ll mix it up with Helen and Sam. If they can keep up, carry the bag and know where to stand, that’s enough.’ Scott Jamieson is in a group three off the lead after the Scot hit a 66 to follow his opening 69. A shot further back is Grant Forrest, who went one better than his compatriot with a superb 65. Richie Ramsay fired a 70 to also make the cut just ahead of Robert MacIntyre (71), but David Drysdale (71), Stephen Gallacher (71), Liam Johnston (72) and David Law (72) didn’t make the weekend.