Lee Westwood returns to Marriott Hanbury Manor Hotel this week to defend his title in the Compass Group English Open.
Twelve months ago, Westwood arrived in leafy Hertfordshire with his confidence bouyed by a superb victory over Darren Clarke and Mark O’Meara in the Deutsche Bank –SAP Open TPC of Europe.
He proceeded to shoot four rounds in the sixties to capture the title with a 17 under par total of 271. Over two wonderful weeks, he collected two titles with accumulative figures of 40 under par.
This time, the Englishman’s preparation has been interrupted by a shoulder injury. However there were strong indications during the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club that Westwood is on the way back.
In 1998 Westwood held off a magnificent charge spearheaded by Australian Greg Chalmers, who shot an 11 under par 61 in the third round, to win by two strokes.
However it wasn’t until the 70th hole that Westwood became assured of back to back victories. He recalled: “The 16th was crucial. That was the tournament right there.
“It was playing the hardest hole where the pin was and I sort of smothered my tee shot and had a really difficult lie for my second. When I holed the par putt (from 30 feet) I didn’t expect him (Chalmers) to hole his. If it had been the other way round and I’d missed, I’m sure he’d have holed his. It was a classic match-play situation.”
Colin Montgomerie, the first round leader last year, returns for another stab at the title he won at Marriott Forest of Arden in 1994. Also in the field are Clarke, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam.
Montgomerie is attempting to win his third title in the space of four weeks following his successes in the Benson and Hedges International Open and the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club.
The Ryder Cup Scot fired a closing 64 on Monday – the same score he recorded in the opening round at Hanbury Manor last year - to win by five strokes from Europe’s 1999 captain Mark James.
Montgomerie is in a rich vein of form and reflected on that amazing defence at Wentworth by sayin: “You know, starting out I was obviously confident. I was driving the ball straight on the range last night and when you get out this morning and you’re warming up, it felt exactly as it did the previous night which is key.
“Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes you feel different and the ball’s going left or right and one thing is not quite the same. As soon as I left the practice ground I felt very confident. T2o start off and birdie the second and open up a two shot gap over my playing partner, it just got better from then on. I must admit of all the rounds of golf I’ve played, to lead such a major tournament as this and go out and shoot 64 without missing a shot, that was almost perfect course management and the execution of most of the shots was the same.
“ It was just one of these days I suppose. It won’t continue but long may it! It’s nice to achieve it in such a big tournament as this. I actually felt I played better than at Druids Glen in the Irish Open two yeas ago. The 62 there just happened, starting three behind was a different proposition.
“Starting here tied for the lead was different. I knew some people from behind would have good scores as they did. I felt that was going to happen and I had to counteract it with a good score of my own as I did at The Oxfordshire. I didn’t honestly believe I could go out and shoot 64, but I felt a 67 was in there and that, I felt, would be good enough on the easiest day of the four.”
Ian Woosnam has been forced to withdraw with a hand injury and his place is taken by Andrew Bonhomme. Also out of the event is Howard Clark, whose place goes to Neil Roderick.
