CADDIE DEAREST

With girlfriend on the bag, happy Westwood in position to make a run at first major title

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Because he’s 46 and on the back nine of his career, Lee Westwood is no longer pestered with questions about why he has yet to win a major championship.

The fact he’s one shot out of the lead entering this weekend at the British Open at Royal Portrush has more of a nostalgic feel to it than one in which there’s pressure on Westwood to win.

Westwood, who shot 67 in Friday’s second round, and fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who also shot 67, are both 7-under, right behind leaders J.B. Holmes (68) and Shane Lowry (67) at 8-under.

Justin Rose, Cameron Smith and Justin Harding are 6-under. And among those at 5-under are Brooks Koepka, who’s trying to win his fifth major in his past 10 starts, and Jordan Spieth, the 2017 Open winner.

This is the 82nd major championship in which Westwood has played, and few players in the history of the game have come as close to triumphing as often as he has without crossing the line as the winner.

If Westwood were sti l l in the prime of his career, he would be the unquestioned “best player never to win a major.’’

At the British Open, he finished fourth in 2004, tied for third in 2009, second in 2010 and tied for third in 2013.

At the Masters, he finished second in 2010, tied for third in 2012 and tied for second in 2016.

At the U.S. Open, he finished tied for fifth in 2000, third in 2008 and tied for third in 2011.

And at the PGA Championship, he tied for third in 2009.

That’s 11 top-five finishes, including two runners-up.

“Over the years, I’ve been a very good player and I’ve been in lots of high-prof ile situations lots of times,’’ Westwood said. “I’ve had chances. … Muirf ield [in ’13] and other major championships, as well. If you play well, you get yourself in contention at majors, you’re going to have chances.’’

Westwood this week hopes his special lucky charm — his girl - friend, Helen Storey, is caddying for him — might help him capture him his first major.

“She doesn’t know too much about golf, but she knows a lot about the way my mind works,’’ Westwood said. “So she keeps me in a good frame of mind and focusing on the right things at the right time.”

Westwood, who also has had his son, Sam, caddie for him, laughed about Storey’s first time on the bag with him.

“The favorite [story] was from Denmark the f irst week she caddied for me, and I took out a divot because it was big and soft and she’s walking back with the divot like this [holding it out],’’ he said. “I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ She said, ‘I hope there’s not a worm in this.’ It makes me smile. It’s a big advantage.

“You’d be surprised at the sort of things we talk about out there. Dinner. Where we’re going on holiday. Whether there’s a nail f ile in the bag.’’

Westwood said Storey carrying his bag is “no mean feat … especially in this weather, because it is fully loaded up. I don’t give her an easy break or anything like that. It’s got everything in it.’’

This is Storey’s first major championship on the bag. In an interview with The Sun, she said: “It was hard work at times for me. That Tour bag can get pretty heavy, especially on the par-5s. But it always feels a bit lighter after he’s made a birdie.”

Westwood, who has only one win since 2014, insisted, “I haven’t got any expectations’’ about the end result this week.

“I’m just swinging quite well at the moment,’’ he said. “It’s nice to do it at the Open Championship. It’s just happened at the right time.’’

Has this dream start gotten him thinking about winning that elusive first career major?

“No, there’s too much ground to cover before Sunday night,’’ he said. “There’s a long way to go in this tournament. I’ve never felt under that much pressure, to be honest. You lads write about it. I’ve always gone out and done my best. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Just go home and have dinner, go on holiday the next week. Do the same things. Life won’t change.’’