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THE 148TH OPEN

July 19, 2019

Lee Westwood

Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Q. Were you rewarded for patience today?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I think so. I hit the ball really well and gave myself a lot of chances over the first 11 holes. They just didn't quite go in. I missed a decent chance on 6 from about four feet. And was a bit unlucky on 7 on my second shot. Didn't birdie 2 either from the middle of the fairway. Could have got a bit frustrated but didn't.

A couple of easy shots on 12 and two-putted. On 13 made a nice 15-footer. Left it in the middle of the hole on 14. Just missed on 15. Made a good line on 16. Got a bit lucky with the line on 17 after missing the fairway, and knocked it 15 feet down the hole and made that and parred the last.

It was a good, solid day. Enjoyed it out there. And got in just before the heavy stuff came down. I'm looking forward to putting my feet up this afternoon and catching a bit of golf and having a lie in tomorrow morning.

Q. Does the expectation change after the round today?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, not really. I haven't got any expectations. I'm just swinging quite well at the moment.

I've had a couple of weeks of links golf where I played well and made the most of how I played, and this week it's happening. It's nice to do it at The Open Championship, it's a big tournament and prestigious tournament and on a great golf course. It's just happened at the right time.

Q. You said it's nine years since you went back-to-back sub-70s at a major. Do you feel you're playing that much better than you have at previous majors?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, I think we had good weather the first couple of days. It can get really rough here, can't it? No, I've played well at other Open championships since then. I played well at Muirfield, obviously. And it's tough to shoot in the 60s at Open championships, in major championships.

So I made the best of the weather that I had the first couple of days and hit the ball well. I'm pleased with 68, 67.

Q. Can you talk about Calamity, because you've had two good days.
LEE WESTWOOD: I'm playing away from the Calamity. The Calamity is a bit on the right and I'm keep it left. I'm ahead of the game.

Q. The last three holes are supposed to be the toughest for your stretch.
LEE WESTWOOD: They're difficult holes. But I've hit good shots on them. This is the kind of golf course that you can get rewarded for hitting good shots even if it's on the hardest holes.

Q. This is the first time you've had Helen on the bag at a major, isn't it?
LEE WESTWOOD: She's delighted because they've got their own rakers. She doesn't have to rake the bunkers.

Q. When was the decision made? You used temporary ones last year, didn't you?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, Helen's caddied for me since Billy finished. Sam's done it as well.

Q. Not in the majors?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, Dominic did it at the PGA. I think that's the only one I've played since she started. Yeah, I've always had Sam caddying for me last week and the week before.

Helen is doing it this week. Sam couldn't make it this week. Obviously I get on well with Helen. She doesn't know too much about golf but she knows a lot about the way my mind works. So she keeps me in a good frame of mind and focusing on the right things at the right time. There's more to the caddying than carrying and getting the wind direction.

I enjoy doing it all myself. Get the yardage, pull the club, it's all my responsibility, and I'm a hundred percent clear in my mind what I'm doing.

Q. Is there a conversation you might cover in five hours out there?
LEE WESTWOOD: Dinner. Where we're going on holiday. Whether there's a nail file in the bag.

Q. For you?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, for me. You'd be surprised the sort of things we talk about out there. The favourite one was from Denmark the first 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, and 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.

Q. How much do you think the wind affects your game?
LEE WESTWOOD: Absolutely, it makes a massive difference. Because of the weather you can really not have a chance at an Open Championship. It can be such a massive difference.

I think I played 25 now, I think it obviously can't be bang even, but it's roughly about the same. Sometimes I feel like I've been on the wrong side of the draw. This week I feel like I'm on the right side of the draw. And you have to take your opportunities when it arises.

Q. Was there a worm in the divot or not?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, it was worm free.

Q. (Inaudible.)
LEE WESTWOOD: I don't know. I'm playing well. I just go out there. I'm 46 years old and still competing with these young lads, one last year. So there's no pressure on me. I just go out there and have fun.

Q. Ten years ago it was Turnberry, the one that got away.
LEE WESTWOOD: I've had chances since then, Muirfield and other major championships, as well. If you play well, you get yourself in contention at majors, you're going to have chances.

Q. You're not thinking about winning?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, there's too much ground to cover before Sunday night. 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.

Q. The way you talk we sense a certain change in you where you're more comfortable with the idea of just going forward and not thinking of the pressure to win.
LEE WESTWOOD: I don't really get your question. I've always had the theory that I can only go out and try as hard as I can, try to do the right things at the right times. And if that's not right then that's not right.

Over the years I've been a very good player and I've been in lots of high-profile situations lots of times. It's going to happen.

Q. Did you ask Helen to caddie or did she say, Would you like me to caddie?
LEE WESTWOOD: She said she'd love to do it and I said I'd love her to do it. So that was a pretty easy decision. It was one time that Billy couldn't make it and she did it. And it's no mean feat carrying that golf bag around, 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.

Q. Is the plan for her to keep doing it every tournament?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I don't see any reason why not. Obviously if it fits in around kids. And Sam wants to do it every now and then. There will be weeks they can't do it and I'll use somebody else.

Q. (Inaudible.)
LEE WESTWOOD: No, I'm pleased for him and Graeme, that it's come back to Portrush. It's when you get here and see the golf course, it is an incredible test of golf. And we played tournaments in Ireland over the years, and they were so well supported that you knew a tournament here, you couldn't pick fault with it.

The crowds are fantastic. The golf course is amazing. The weather is all right so far, just typical links. It has challenges. You don't want it flat calm, you don't want it blowing 50 mile an hour. You want it somewhere in the middle, and it's given us that.

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