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THE QUINN DIRECT BRITISH MASTERS

September 19, 2007

Lee Westwood

WISHAW, ENGLAND

GRAEME HAMLETT: Welcome, Lee, thanks for coming in. How are you feeling? You were feeling poorly on the weekend in Germany.
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, in good shape I would say. I'm pleased with where my game is at. I'm disappointed not winning the last three weeks. I really should have but didn't due to one thing or another. I'm looking forward to doing well this week hopefully.

Q. What has brought on the good form?
LEE WESTWOOD: I've worked hard on my game in the gym and putting and it's all starting to come together.

Q. Did you think you had it won after the first round?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I should have won after shooting a 61. I felt pretty good all week. The main problem last week was having shot such a good first round; I probably didn't give the course enough respect in the second, third and fourth round and missed too many greens in the wrong spots. My game was getting up to such a good level, I was being too aggressive with my iron shots and short-siding myself and gave away ten or 12 shots.

Q. Was it anything in particular that you changed or worked on to play better?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, not really. I've been seeing (Stephen McGregor) who is not far from here and he gave me some good ideas on what to work on yesterday. My putting stroke, there's nothing wrong but he gave me something to work out. It's just about not thinking too much.
Last week I tried to change my pre-shot routine a little bit and I was getting stationary. So I went back to moving the putter in front of the ball and then back behind to stop me getting too stationary - like I did back in '98 and '99 when I was successful -- and that helped a lot and gave my putting stroke a lot more feeling.

Q. How long did you spend with him?
LEE WESTWOOD: Not long, half an hour or an hour.

Q. Where was this?
LEE WESTWOOD: On the putting green here.

Q. After a week like last week was it one you feel you let get away?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, with a four-shot lead after a 61, I should have won really. You shouldn't be caught really.

Q. When you say you gave away ten or 12 shots, you let slip, what do you mean by that?
LEE WESTWOOD: I was 2-under par in the second round after seven holes and then I had a chip that lipped out on 9 and I could have easily had a five-shot lead on the front nine and then the wind got up. We had not had wind all week and the back nine played really hard. I just missed a couple of fairways in the wrong spots and got too aggressive with my iron shots. So instead of really looking at being sort of six or seven shots ahead after two rounds, I was instead one behind.

Q. Can you tell me how it affects your confidence when you've shot a 61 but then don't quite carry on playing that way over the next few days?
LEE WESTWOOD: Well, it doesn't knock your confidence, because you still shot 61. Everybody was coming up to me saying it was a great round and there were some good flags. Shooting 61, there are more positives to take out of last week. Didn't take any negatives really.

Q. You've been in contention a lot over the past few weeks, do you feel you're moving forward and can win soon?
LEE WESTWOOD: Any time you do well, you take positive. There's still a lot to come this week and some big tournaments to come. Obviously lots of points to play for and then you start thinking about next year and Majors.

Q. What was your strategy last week - did you have a score in mind for the rest of the tournament rounds?
LEE WESTWOOD: After the first round, I think the mid 60s, 4-under, because I was 3-under after seven, I should have been looking at that. You play the weekend different then.

Q. Do you have good memories of playing here, especially of September 2002?
LEE WESTWOOD: Of course, winning The Ryder Cup comes to mind and Sergio jumping on my back. But I've never played well in the Benson and Hedges or British Masters but I think it's probably more to do with the time of year it's held at more than anything. I feel a lot more comfortable when the tournament is held in September.
When it's been just after the Masters, it's been a little bit too much; you prepare for the Masters and the British Masters, it's a bit of a comedown and I really struggled.

Q. What are you doing well now?
LEE WESTWOOD: Well, I'm hitting the ball well. I don't see that changing in a week, and putting is starting to come through. You know, a few good breaks, might have a chance on the weekend.
Q. Are you already thinking about Ryder Cup?
LEE WESTWOOD: Not really. It's too early. I'm just concentrating on the winning the tournament.

Q. What are your goals for end of the year, to get back into the top 50?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I'd like to be Top-50 by the end of the year, that'll make all the difference, won't it? I don't want to just be in the 40s. Where my game is, I'd actually like to be a lot, lot higher and get into the Masters.

Q. The issue of drug testing is with us again this week and we're waiting news about a policy, what's your view on it all Lee and whether drug use actually goes on?
LEE WESTWOOD: Well, before Gary said about that, they were going to implement a drug-testing policy. I've no objections to it. But I've not heard a word about anything on Tour and don't have any suspicions about anybody on Tour. I think if they are going to suggest that people do it and they have to name names. Gary was not naming names. I don't know enough about it but I can't think of any obvious drug that would help you play golf. There's talk of beta-blockers but the last thing I would want coming down the stretch is my heart rate slowing down and me nodding off. You need adrenaline.

Q. What about steroids and muscle-building?
LEE WESTWOOD: No, I think, you know, there are too many adverse effects, but you probably know that better than me Graham. (Laughter).

Q. Niclas Fasth said he'd be upset and wouldn't like to be coming down 18 against a guy who might be taking drugs.
LEE WESTWOOD: That was his opinion -- I don't know any players who take drugs. Or have any suspicions.

GRAEME HAMLETT: Have you got another appointment to get on to?
LEE WESTWOOD: I've got a drug-test. I've a sample to give. (Laughter). I'm okay to stay and chat a bit longer.

Q. What do you think about Chubby's comments that Rory is one of the most exciting young players to turn professional in the last ten years, and have you played with Rory?
LEE WESTWOOD: I played with him three years ago in a practice round and was very impressed with his game then. He hits the ball a long way, and is not lacking in confidence, which you've got to feel. I think he's probably got a good future. I have no idea what Chubby said. When did Sergio turn pro? When did Tiger turn pro? Oh, I thought you said he said he was the most exciting. No, anyway, he's certainly a big talent.

Q. Do you think he'll be able to win enough to get his card in just five events he's got this season?
LEE WESTWOOD: I don't know, maybe he'll come out and do surprising things, or maybe he'll struggle a bit. Just looking at him now, it's tough to get your card in the first five. Look at Justin, some people find it hard when they start out. But look at him now. If he keeps progressing he'll do well. When I first started out, I took 12 to get my card. It creates a lot of pressure if you put times constraints on situations.

End of FastScripts

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