U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 27, 2024

Lee Westwood

Newport Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Please welcome Lee Westwood to the interview room after a 4-under 66 during the first round at the 44th U.S. Senior Open at the Newport Country Club. Eagle on the first. Take us through that opening.

LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, good drive. 3-wood from 268. Landed left side of the green, rolled round to about ten feet, rolled it in. It was a nice way to start.

Had some good chances on the next few holes. Made a couple, missed a couple.

Got one at 8 which was a bit sloppy. Had a few more chances going round. Sloppy shot -- second shot into 15. Missed it left. Short-sided.

Two good shots on 16 into the greenside trap.

Two good chances at the last two holes. Played really solidly. Shaved the hole many times. Pleased with a nice solid first round, yeah.

Q. You mentioned on Tuesday, sharpening up your short game. Would you say that was a weapon for you today?

LEE WESTWOOD: I didn't really miss many greens, so -- and my short game is pretty sharp when I did miss the green it was pretty straightforward shot. Got it up and down.

So I would say a little bit better than 50% around the greens getting up and down.

But I hit it close a lot. Gave myself a lot of looks.

Q. So can you just talk about last week coming into this week? I mean, last week was probably one of your better efforts I think. So what is it that has got you playing the way you want to be playing?

LEE WESTWOOD: Just playing a bit more I think and just having a run of a few weeks where I've not put the golf clubs down altogether. This is a good time of year to play a few tournaments. When I'm not at tournaments, keep my eye in, do a bit of practice.

Weather is getting a bit better in England so green conditions are a bit better and that makes me want to practice.

Yeah, that's basically it. Just that sharpens me up. Always played well and been sharper when I've not gone home and put the clubs away. It's a balancing act. I don't want to play all the time now and I can't play all the time. It's just not good for my body.

I try and do what I can when I'm away from the golf course. I focus more on the gym work and staying flexible and strong. Injury prevention more than anything.

Although I'm going through a power phase just to help me hit the ball is bit further and that worked last week. Driving distance was 15 yards up. And few keys with Pete. Just working on the odd movement to get me synchronized a bit better and coiling up better on the backswing. When I do that I tend it to play well.

Q. When we talked last year you were not physically 100%.

LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, no.

Q. You were dealing with those issues. Did you deal with them and you're on the other side now?

LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, blood tests and stuff like that, at some point I had glandular fever and that's why I felt really low for a few months. Takes a while to get out of your system. Just started feeling well the last couple months.

Yeah, no excuse now.

Q. You spoke about gym work and adding some power. What specifically have you been doing in that regard?

LEE WESTWOOD: Just sort of an explosive program that Steve McGregor has devised to are me. I can run through it in about 45 minutes in the gym and doesn't take too much out of me. I do it three times a week and it's helped a lot. Body speed feels a lot quicker. Lost a little bit of timber around the waist as well, so I can move the body a bit faster.

Yeah, nice to see it pay off so quickly.

Q. What sort of the exercises?

LEE WESTWOOD: It's everything, yeah, shoulder, core, legs of course a bit of everything in there.

Q. Today when you got a windy conditions like this, how does your approach change?

LEE WESTWOOD: Well, it wasn't really that windy until sort of the last five, six holes. It laid down and was there for the taking early on. You could see the scores kind of were pretty low at the start. Greens are receptive because I think we got a bit of rain overnight.

I would imagine these are the best scoring conditions we're going to have all week. Obviously, like any golf course on the side of the sea or the ocean the wind picks up in the afternoon and tends to change direction. Changes two or three times.

I was out there when it was laying down. But now its found some strength. Probably going to blow down 18 and one for the rest of the day.

Might be wrong.

Yeah, it is the defensive seaside golf course, isn't it? So you want a bit of breeze out there to make the golf course play like it was designed to.

Q. This is going to be second week in a row but this will be 72 holes versus 54 presumably. Not to question your --

LEE WESTWOOD: I think I can manage it. It's playing in trousers that's bothering me more.

Q. Could that potentially be an issue?

LEE WESTWOOD: No, I'm a finely tuned athlete as you can see, Alex. You know, that's rubbish really. 72 holes won't be a problem. Like I say, it's looking down and seeing me legs in trousers. I prefer to get me legs out.

Q. Did you lobby to try and change that?

LEE WESTWOOD: Take more than me, wouldn't it? If you notice most of the guys wear shorts in practice. You can see how many people are comfortable, especially when it gets a bit warm putting a pair the shorts on.