Lee Westwood is hoping to put his course experience to good use at The Belfry this week at the 2020 ISPS HANDA UK Championship
Lee Westwood is hoping to put his course experience to good use at The Belfry this week at the 2020 ISPS HANDA UK Championship.
Westwood was part of Europe's Ryder Cup winning team here in 2002 and captured the 2007 British Masters at the same venue, before being pipped by Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño in a play-off the following year.
“It’s a while since I’ve been here and a while since I won here last in 2007,” said the 47-year-old.
“Obviously Ryder Cup here in 2002. My memories stretch back as far as coming to watch the Ryder Cup in 1989 and 1993, standing behind that tenth tee and watching Monty (Colin Montgomerie), Seve (Ballesteros), people like that tee off. I’m sure there’s footage somewhere of a 16-year-old Lee Westwood watching the Ryder Cup.
“I haven’t played for a couple of weeks and not hit many balls but when you do come back to a venue that you have played well at in the past it stirs up great memories.
“I’m looking forward to playing this week. I’ve always felt that The Belfry is a golf course that suits the way I hit it.
“It’s a little bit tighter than it used to be. Everything has grown up a bit more, the golf course has definitely matured. It’s a good test, with a bit of a breeze there are some tricky shots out there.”
Germany's Martin Kaymer finished tied for 21st here during his rookie season in 2007 and the two-time Major winner also has good memories of the Sutton Coldfield course.
“I feel good. I’ve been working quite a bit on my golf – sometimes maybe a little too much,” he said. “I’m looking forward to playing competitive golf again, especially here on the European Tour, the home of my golf where everything started. It’s nice to be here at The Belfry this week.
“I really enjoy golf courses like this, the old-style golf courses where you need to be very precise. Small areas on greens.
“It’s a course with a lot of history. I remember the first time I came here with my brother caddying for me. I think it was one of my first years on Tour. I have a lot of good memories here.
“To compete and maybe have a chance to win on such an iconic golf course would mean quite a lot.”
Kaymer surprised newly crowned Women's British Open champion Sophia Popov with a congratulatory phonecall following his compatriot's triumph at Royal Troon.
“Obviously I know winning your first Major is huge,” Kaymer added. “I don’t even know if she recognised a lot of the stuff that was going on because there is so much happening.
“Even to realise what you have just done; it won’t happen within an hour or two hours of your win. I just wanted to congratulate her for an amazing performance.
“Before she was playing on the Cactus Tour in America, a year ago she was thinking about quitting golf. That is very inspiring from her.
“It shows that with golf you should never give up on your dreams. When you have the chance to play this incredible sport and you believe in yourself it will happen sooner or later. That’s what we talked about on the phone.”
