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BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 26, 2018

Lee Westwood

Surrey, England

Q. First day, just a single dropped stroke, nothing on the card yesterday and just one today. How important is it to you to be able to have that on the card, not huge amounts of birdies and eagles but there are limited mistakes?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, that's sort of the way I see this golf course being played. Over the first two days it was very scorable. There wasn't so much wind. This course plays a little bit easier when it's soft. As it dries out, the wind is blowing and swirling around today and it gets trickier. It's important to hit fairways, and I hit a lot of fairways today, a lot of greens and gave myself a few chances.

Q. You talk about the wind swirling, something you face at Augusta National every year, as well. How do you go about it? Do you go with a wind map, how you feel? How does it work?
LEE WESTWOOD: I think you have to go with what you feel because if it suddenly feels wrong if you're stood over it, which unfortunately it did on the last on the third shot, and I'd normally back off, but was in two minds and I just carried on and hit it.

You can go with a wind map if it's consistent, but beneath the trees it tends to swirl around a lot so you have to be prepared to stand up and hit it but also have to be able to control your ball flight, so like that one on 14, I kept it down there, so never really got into the wind too much. You have to be really sharp and on your game.

Q. You have a winning history, pretty much everywhere you go, but what would it mean to be in contention again and try to claim the Flagship Event here tomorrow?
LEE WESTWOOD: It would be great. I came close a few years, and I've always been in contention around here. Seems to suit my game and I enjoy playing on this course.

Q. At what point did you realise Rory McIlroy was struggling and you were back in this golf tournament?
LEE WESTWOOD: I didn't, really, but when the wind picks up and starts swirling around the West Course obviously it becomes difficult and anything is possible and you can catch up a few shots. I was trying to concentrate on my game and just keep it in play and make as few of mistakes as possible.

Q. Graeme McDowell said this week when Thomas named him as vice captain for The Ryder Cup, it lifted a weight off him that he would be in Paris. What impact did that have on you when you were named vice captain?
LEE WESTWOOD: I was obviously honored to be asked by Thomas to be a vice captain but hasn't really affected the way I think about things too much. Really The Ryder Cup wasn't on my mind until Thomas picked me as a vice captain. I haven't played very much and I figured, qualifying for the team is a long shot, so I had not been thinking too much about it.

Q. Your 25th start and you're twice a runner-up around the West Course. What will it take for you to go one better tomorrow?
LEE WESTWOOD: I don't know. Just play a bit better I guess. Keep playing well and see if I have a bit of luck at the right time and make a few putts at the right time.

Q. Bearing in mind how windy it is, how pleased are to you have plodded your way around with a 69?
LEE WESTWOOD: It was good. Never really in too much trouble. Hitting a lot of fairways and driving the ball well this week and giving myself a lot of chances and not too much pain out there.

Q. Three solid rounds of golf to start this tournament and you're in contention going into Sunday which in this big tournament, Rolex Series, always a nice position to be?
LEE WESTWOOD: It's great. They are big tournaments and you want to be in the last few groups. I'm delighted with that. After such a long time off, I didn't really expect to be this sharp.

Q. Big field this week. Is this a golf course that you enjoy playing?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I love it. I've always enjoyed playing Wentworth. First time I came here in 1994 to play this championship; I've watched it on TV and felt like I knew it before I even played it. Then kind of fell in love with it and the improvements they have made recently have made it even better.

Q. And the crowds seem to get bigger every year, which make it a great atmosphere.
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, sort of like the start of the British golfing season. Everybody comes out and it's lovely when there's nice weather like this and the crowds are magnificent and there's a lot of support out there and huge numbers.

Q. You looked very comfortable out there and within your own game at the moment.
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I'm hitting the ball well. I'm pleased with the way things are going, and you know, hitting it where I want to most of the time and feel pretty comfortable on the greens, so, yeah, looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. We spoke a little bit about your schedule over the last little while and you said you weren't perhaps feeling as best prepared as you keep coming, but you've been fresh and you look fit and healthy, that's how it looks on the course.
LEE WESTWOOD: I have a few aches and pains, and my knee is not so good and my shoulder always aches a little bit but mentally I'm fresh. Feel pretty good. You know, I've been looking forward to this week for a few weeks now. I've had a few weeks off to recharge and back out again.

Q. Sun shining today but a bit trickier with the wind?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, whenever this course starts to dry out and the wind starts to blow it swirls around a lot and it's up-and-down and you really have to be on your game and thinking about it and sharp and being able to back off shots when you need to. Just it takes a lot of experience I think on this golf course when it gets like this.

Q. You certainly have lots of experience around this course and this tournament and you're right in contention. Is there excitement you have going into Sunday at this point in the tournament when you're placed where you are? Do you still get that same excitement?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I think being in contention in these big tournaments is what it's all about, and obviously I do get excited to be in contention at any tournament, but certainly these bigger ones, it makes all the practise worthwhile. Although I have to say, I don't practise very much anymore, lying slightly there, but it's where you want to be, and it's nice to have a chance tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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